St. Catherine (copy) 1511 - 1600

Editor: So this woodcut print is called "St. Catherine (copy)" and was created sometime between 1511 and 1600, attributed to Hans Baldung. The use of color gives it a certain vibrant energy despite its age. How do we unpack its historical relevance? Curator: Well, let's consider the political landscape. The proliferation of prints like these, particularly during the Reformation, offered a way to disseminate religious imagery beyond the Church’s control. Do you notice any symbols here that speak to that period’s conflicts or beliefs? Editor: I see Catherine holding the sword and the wheel, but beyond that, it's mostly just the city in the background and the standard halo. Would you say this image functioned as propaganda or simply personal devotion? Curator: It’s a complex question. Saint Catherine was a popular figure, a symbol of wisdom and resistance against tyranny. Making multiples of such figures enabled their wide distribution but who funded these productions and who was the target audience? That's part of what interests me, because it helps us understand what issues really gripped popular imagination. Notice also how Catherine is represented; a powerful yet vulnerable figure in a dynamic landscape. Editor: That's fascinating – considering it less as a static religious icon and more as a cultural artifact shaped by production and reception. I never thought of it that way. Curator: Exactly. Studying the image in that way lets us view the political history of imagery itself. Editor: This really changes my perspective on how I view religious art. Thanks for making it clearer!