IMAGES FOR HOLY WEEK 3

Tuesday of Holy Week

Self Portrait as St Catherine of Alexandria by Artemesia Gentilischi 

I first discovered Artemesia on a sunny afternoon in Naples, when a film crew to  turned up to get pictures of Michael Palin discussing her against the backdrop of Vesuvius. 

Since then I’ve learned that she was raped at the age of 17 by her tutor, who was an artist friend of her father’s. She went on to become one of the finest Baroque painters of the 17th Century. Her work is increasingly displayed alongside that of Caravaggio. 

Here she portrays herself as the martyr St Catherine of Alexandria, whom we celebrate with spinning fireworks. St Catherine is the patron saint of students, scholars and philosophers. She frequented the Library of Alexandria and confounded pagan philosophers by arguing the Christian case against them. Catherine’s  courage and wisdom became widely known and many were inspired to convert to Christianity by her example. The Emperor failed to get her to renounce her faith and ordered that she die a torturous death on a breaking wheel. When Catherine touched the wheel it miraculously shattered, so she was beheaded instead. She faced her death bravely. 

In Artemesia’s painting she is holding a palm which seems particularly apt for Holy Week.