H. Catharina van Alexandrië 1660

This is Lucas Vorsterman the Younger's engraving of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Note the palm frond she holds, an ancient symbol of triumph, here signifying her victory over death through martyrdom. Beside her, the broken wheel speaks of her torture. The wheel is a motif that recurs throughout history, from ancient sun symbols to the wheel of fortune. Here it is no longer a symbol of cyclical life, but of interrupted fate. Consider how symbols transform. What once represented power and continuity becomes an emblem of suffering, charged with a deep emotional weight. This broken wheel is a testament to the enduring human capacity to imbue objects with profound psychological meaning. The symbols evolve, yet the wheel’s essence remains— a potent reminder of life’s unpredictable turns.