Virgin and Child

525
Virgin and Child with St Catherine of Alexandria
ca. 1565
Paolo Veronese and his Workshop

The dream of St Catherine, born in Alexandria in the 3rd c., is painted in the luminous colours and style of Venetian Mannerism. In her dream she became the heavenly bride of the infant Christ. She is also the protector of young girls. She is here seen kneeling, the crown on her head a mark of her royal birth, carrying a palm leaf as a symbol of victory. When she awoke from her dream she found a ring on her finger which she continued to wear for the rest of her life. She is shown as a young girl with long golden hair reminiscent of Titian's Urbino Venus. In Manneristic style, her body has an inverted S-shape.