. Sacred and legendary art . ted this subject in a large crowded scene is the interior of a temple : Maximin is on histhrone; and before him, standing, St. Catherine, attired in arichly embroidered dress ; in one hand her book, the otherraised; around the throne of the emperor, many philosophers,some arguing, some demonstrating, some meditating doubtfully,others searching their great books j farther off, spectators and 478 •THE VIRGIN PATRONESSES attendants; about fifty figures in all. (Vatican, Eorae[Appartamenti Borgia].) Vasari. St. Catherine, with her robe and hair flying loose,
. Sacred and legendary art . ted this subject in a large crowded scene is the interior of a temple : Maximin is on histhrone; and before him, standing, St. Catherine, attired in arichly embroidered dress ; in one hand her book, the otherraised; around the throne of the emperor, many philosophers,some arguing, some demonstrating, some meditating doubtfully,others searching their great books j farther off, spectators and 478 •THE VIRGIN PATRONESSES attendants; about fifty figures in all. (Vatican, Eorae[Appartamenti Borgia].) Vasari. St. Catherine, with her robe and hair flying loose,and in a most theatrical attitude, disputes with the philoso-phers, who are turning over their books ; the emperor looksdown from a balcony above. (Capitol, Borne.) Where St. Catherine is standing, or sitting on a raisedthrone, as one teaching, rather than disputing, and with sevenphilosophers around her, then the subject evidently representsthe seven wise masters whom her father had assembled to :v \\ w w II 1/ /?// ///. St. Catherine disputing with the Philosophers (Masolino) ST. CATHERINE 479 teach her, and who became her disciples; and St. Catherineshould look like the magnificent princess in Tennysons poem — Among her grave professors, scattering gemsOf art and science. 2. The subject usually called the ^ Martyrdom of St. Cath-erine/ her exposure to the torture of the wheels, should ratherbe called the Deliverance of St. Catherine. It is one of themost frequent subjects in early Art. The leading idea isalways the same, and the subject easily recognized, howevervaried in the representation. St. Catherine is seen betweentwo or four wheels armed with iron teeth or spikes, while twoor more executioners prepare to turn the wheels; or she iskneeling beside the instrument of torture : the emperor andhis attendants are sometimes introduced : an angel, descendingfrom heaven amid thunder and lightning, or bearing an aveng-ing sword, breaks the wheels, and scatters horror and con
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjec, booksubjectchristianartandsymbolism
