St Catherine of Alexandria
Statuette
late 15th century (made)
late 15th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This statuette is from the late 15th century, from Siegburg, Germany, by an unknown artist and represents the standing figure of St. Catherine of Alexandria, crowned, with a ring in her left hand and a sword in her right. At her side is her symbol the wheel.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also called St Catherine of the Wheel or the Great Martyr Saint Catherine is a Christian saint and martyr. Her symbol is a spiked wheel and her feast day is celebrated on the 25th November by most Christian churches. The legend tells that she was to be condemned to death on a wheel, which broke, when she touched it. She was then beheaded instead.
The figure is made of pipeclay, which is a fine white clay also used to make tobacco pipes and pottery.
Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which pipe-clay figures were also fired.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also called St Catherine of the Wheel or the Great Martyr Saint Catherine is a Christian saint and martyr. Her symbol is a spiked wheel and her feast day is celebrated on the 25th November by most Christian churches. The legend tells that she was to be condemned to death on a wheel, which broke, when she touched it. She was then beheaded instead.
The figure is made of pipeclay, which is a fine white clay also used to make tobacco pipes and pottery.
Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which pipe-clay figures were also fired.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | St Catherine of Alexandria (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pipeclay |
| Brief description | Statuette, pipeclay, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Germany (Siegburg), late 15th century |
| Physical description | Standing figure of St. Catherine of Alexandria, crowned, with a ring in her left hand and a sword in her right; at her side is a wheel. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Bought from Thewalt Collection. |
| Historical context | Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which pipeclay figures were also fired. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This statuette is from the late 15th century, from Siegburg, Germany, by an unknown artist and represents the standing figure of St. Catherine of Alexandria, crowned, with a ring in her left hand and a sword in her right. At her side is her symbol the wheel. Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also called St Catherine of the Wheel or the Great Martyr Saint Catherine is a Christian saint and martyr. Her symbol is a spiked wheel and her feast day is celebrated on the 25th November by most Christian churches. The legend tells that she was to be condemned to death on a wheel, which broke, when she touched it. She was then beheaded instead. The figure is made of pipeclay, which is a fine white clay also used to make tobacco pipes and pottery. Conveniently situated on a major trading route, Siegburg was a centre of ceramic production with well-organised workshops and kilns in which pipe-clay figures were also fired. |
| Bibliographic reference | Inventory of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1903 - 1904. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1903, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition with Appendix and Indices. London: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Wyman and Sons, Limited, 1907, p. 269 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1577-1903 |
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| Record created | November 25, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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