Lot 7 Dα

The present small panel of the as yet unidentified master shows Saint Catherine of Alexandria in front of a broad landscape. Her courtly attire, precious jewellery and her attributes, the broken wheel and executioner's sword in her left hand, identify her as the daughter of a king, who died a martyr's death because of her faith. Here the saint stands in front of a dark curtain revealing on the left-hand side a view over a mountain landscape with a stretch of water at sunset.
In terms of style and content, the work clearly references the images by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), who ran a large workshop. Many painters parted from the workshop over time to work independently, influenced by his style, and the present painting can be assigned to this circle of students or former workshop assistants.