Saint Catherine c. 17th century

Curator: This is John Smith’s rendering of Saint Catherine, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The contrast is really striking; it’s dramatic, like she’s emerging from shadow into divine light. Curator: Indeed. Note the wheel, her traditional attribute, a symbol of her martyrdom. She also holds a palm, a Christian sign of victory. Editor: I wonder about the labor involved in creating this image. It's likely an engraving, requiring skilled handiwork to translate light and shadow into such precise lines. Curator: And consider the cultural weight of Saint Catherine—her wisdom, her defiance. This image continues a long tradition of portraying her as a figure of intellect and spiritual strength. Editor: The social context of image production here seems key. The making of such an object reinforced the social hierarchies of knowledge and skill. Curator: Precisely. It is a complex interplay of symbol and craft. Editor: I find myself moved by thinking through the materials and labor needed to disseminate this potent symbolic figure.