Two Wings of an Altarpiece depicting Saints John the Baptist and Catherine in Niches Surmounted by Angels 1515 - 1562

This sheet of drawings depicting Saints John the Baptist and Catherine, made by Jan van Scorel, captures potent symbols of faith and power. John, with his book and cross, represents spiritual revelation and sacrifice. Catherine, crowned and bearing a sword alongside a broken wheel, signifies divine authority and triumph over earthly trials. Consider Catherine’s sword. We see echoes of this motif across time, from the Roman gladius, a symbol of military might, to medieval depictions of Justice, wielding a sword of moral authority. The sword’s transformation from a tool of war to a symbol of righteousness tells a story of evolving human values. It appears in the hands of the archangel Michael as he triumphs over evil, symbolizing a cosmic battle between good and evil. It is not merely a weapon but an embodiment of our deepest fears and aspirations, a conduit for subconscious anxieties and hopes. These symbols, deeply embedded in our collective psyche, reveal the persistent human need to give form to abstract concepts like faith and justice. Like ancient echoes, they resonate across centuries, constantly reshaped by cultural currents.