Death of Saint Catherine of Siena
Do you know why the figure of Saint Catherine of Siena was an inspiration for the nuns in New Granada? Join us and discover it.
By Colonial Museum
Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y Ceballos (attributed)
Death of St. Catherine of Siena by Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y CeballosColonial Museum
Images of saints, especially those that portrayed mystical experiences, inspired many nuns dedicated to imitating lives they considered virtuous. Catherine of Siena was one of the most represented saints in colonial New Granada art.
Born in Siena, Italy, in 1347, her life was marked by intense mystical experiences, most of them rendered in her book Dialogue of Divine Providence.
The saint died in 1380, at the age of 33.
Catherine belonged to the Dominican Tertiary Order, which is why in this work she wears a white tunic and black veil.
It was this order the one responsible for widely disseminating her figure in the American territory.
The portrait shows us the saint languishing while two angels delicately support her torso and head.
According to tradition, in a mystical episode in saint’s life, Christ appeared to her and offered her two crowns, one of gold and another of thorns. If she chose the first, she would be awarded gold in eternal life.
However, the saint decided to take the thorn one since it was the one that Christ had carried during the Passion. Therefore, in the upper right corner of the painting, Christ is seen wrapped in a red cloak and holding a crown of thorns in his right hand.
A cluster of clouds surrounds the Son, from which a golden glow emanates. Characteristically baroque, this pictorial feature is known as rompimiento de gloria, ‘breaking of glory’, an element that seeks to highlight the divine presence in the scene.
At the saint’s feet, there are three white roses alluding to the experience of pain that Catherine of Siena surely felt at that moment.
The small painting of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence is a significant detail. This 3rd century Roman deacon died at the stake when Emperor Valerian decreed persecution against Christians. After his martyrdom, the saint became an exemplary figure for the faithful.
The presence of this small piece within New Granada painting testifies how, during the 17th century, this type of piece helped nuns’ reflection and mystical trance.
Death of Saint Catherine of Siena
Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y Ceballos (attributed)
Oil on canvas
106 x 79 cm
Second half of 17th century
Credits
COLONIAL AND SANTA CLARA MUSEUM
Museum Director
María Constanza Toquica Clavijo
Museology
María Alejandra Malagón Quintero
Curation
Anamaría Torres Rodríguez
María Isabel Téllez Colmenares
Collection Management
Paula Ximena Guzmán López
Editorial
Tanit Barragán Montilla
Communications
Jhonatan Chinchilla Pérez
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