Saint Catherine of Siena Exchanging Her Heart with Christ
Giovanni di Paolo (Giovanni di Paolo di Grazia)
Date unknown · Tempera and gold on wood · European Paintings
These three panels belong to a series from the base (predella) of a large altarpiece and constituted the first extensive narrative cycle of Catherine of Siena, a Sienese mystic as well as minister to the poor and plague-stricken. They were commissioned after her canonization in 1461 and are based on the biography written by her confessor, Raymond of Capua. Among the most notable features is the way space is manipulated to enhance the mystic character of their subject. Two further scenes are in The Met (Robert Lehman Collection). For more information about these paintings, including detailed descriptions of the stories, visit metmuseum.org.
- Artist
- Giovanni di Paolo (Giovanni di Paolo di Grazia)
- Date
- Date unknown
- Medium
- Tempera and gold on wood
- Department
- European Paintings
- Credit line
- Bequest of Lore Heinemann, in memory of her husband, Dr. Rudolf J. Heinemann, 1996
