The Martyrdom of St Catherine 1641

Jan Cossiers painted ‘The Martyrdom of St Catherine’ in Antwerp, likely in the 1600s. The painting depicts the moment before St Catherine's execution and allows us to think about the role of religion in 17th-century Flemish culture. Cossiers uses dramatic lighting, rich colours, and emotional figures to draw viewers into the scene. The depiction of the saint, surrounded by menacing figures, suggests the conflict between faith and earthly power. Antwerp in this period was a major center of the Counter-Reformation, which was a conservative movement reacting against the Protestant Reformation. This work reflects that institutional history, as the Catholic Church sought to reinforce its authority through art. The painting isn’t just a religious image; it’s a statement about social values, political power and the institution of the church. To understand it fully, we can look to historical documents, religious texts, and accounts of artistic patronage in Antwerp, and explore the complex relationship between art, religion, and society.