Artwork
Saint Catherine of Alexandria (Saint Catherine d'Alexandrie)
Saint Catherine of Alexandria (Saint Catherine d'Alexandrie) is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jean Honoré Fragonard. It dates from 1769 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Jean‑Honoré Fragonard’s etching of Saint Catherine of Alexandria dates to 1769.
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Honoré Fragonard’s etching of Saint Catherine of Alexandria dates to 1769. Executed as a single‑plate print, the work presents a female figure clutching a spoked wheel, accompanied by a smaller attendant who leans upon it. Both figures gaze upward, suggesting anticipation or contemplation, while the background is filled with swirling cloud‑like forms that frame the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The central woman represents Saint Catherine, a Christian martyr traditionally associated with a breaking wheel, the instrument of her attempted execution. The presence of the smaller figure, possibly a companion or a symbolic attendant, reinforces the narrative of martyrdom and divine patience, as the upward gazes imply awaiting heavenly intervention.
Technique & Style
Fragonard employed the etching process, incising the design into a copper plate with acid and then drawing fine lines with a needle. The delicate hatching renders the play of light across faces and draped robes, while the swirling clouds are suggested through looser, more gestural strokes, creating contrast between the figures and their ethereal surroundings.
History & Provenance
Created in the late eighteenth century, the print reflects Fragonard’s occasional forays into religious subjects, diverging from his more widely known Rococo genre scenes. The work is catalogued among his printed oeuvre and has circulated in collections of French prints, though specific ownership records for this particular impression remain limited.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Honoré Fragonard was born on 5 April 1732 in Grasse, the son of a glover, and moved with his family to Paris in 1738.
