Saint Catherine in Prison Converting the Empress Faustina to Christianity, Flanked by Saints Saturnius and Simon
1570/71
Federico Zuccaro Italian, 1540/41–1609
Italy
This is an early developed compositional modello for the fresco in the choir of the church of Santa Caterina dei Funari, Rome, datable to 1570/71—a commission that Livio Agresti began (see adjacent drawing) and Federico finished. Ultimately, the fresco was changed from a basamento to an overdoor, as documented by two further studies. Like the Livio Agresti drawing on view nearby, this multilayered work shows Saint Catherine continuing to fight for her cause even while behind bars. The blue paper used as a support, along with the carefully employed washes and gouache, deepens the dank ambience of the saint’s period of incarceration.
Pen and brown ink, with brush and brown wash, heightened with lead white gouache, on blue laid paper