ticketsMember | Make a donation

Reliquary Bust of Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Workshop of Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden North Netherlandish
ca. 1465
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 305
This bust, and its companion (acc. no. 17.190.1735), reflect the liveliness and innovative naturalism of sculpture carved in Nikolaus Gerhaert’s workshop when he was working in the Upper Rhine region. Saint Catherine, whose relics were once located in the chest cavity, can be identified by her attributes the sword and the wheel. The bust of Saint Barbara also contained relics. She is recognized by the tower she holds in her right hand. It is likely that the busts were originally set into niches in the altarpiece at the high altar in Wissembourg. In addition to the saints seen here the altarpiece also incorporated busts of Saint Margaret (now in the Art Institute of Chicago) and Saint Agnes (unlocated). Plaster casts of all four busts are preserved in the Musée de l’Oeuvre Notre-Dame in Strasbourg.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Reliquary Bust of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
  • Artist: Workshop of Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden (North Netherlandish, active Strasbourg, ca. 1462–died 1473 Vienna)
  • Date: ca. 1465
  • Geography: Made in Strasbourg, Upper Rhineland, Germany
  • Culture: German
  • Medium: Walnut with paint and gilding; limewood base
  • Dimensions: Overall: 18 5/8 x 17 5/8 x 10 1/8 in. (47.3 x 44.8 x 25.7 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture-Wood
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.190.1734
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

Audio

Cover Image for 3060. Reliquary Bust of Saint Catherine of Alexandria

3060. Reliquary Bust of Saint Catherine of Alexandria

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Reliquary Bust of Saint Barbara, Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden North Netherlandish, Walnut with paint and gilding, German
Reliquary Bust of Saint Barbara
Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden
ca. 1465
Standing Virgin and Child, Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden North Netherlandish, Boxwood, tinted lips and eyes, Austrian
Standing Virgin and Child
Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden
ca. 1470
Saint Stephen, Hans Leinberger German, Limewood with traces of paint, South German
Saint Stephen
Hans Leinberger
ca. 1525–30
The Miracle of the Palm Tree on the Flight to Egypt, Walnut, gesso, paint, and gilding, Spanish
The Miracle of the Palm Tree on the Flight to Egypt
Spanish
ca. 1490–1510
Mourning Woman, Walnut, polychromy and gilding, South Netherlandish
Mourning Woman
South Netherlandish
ca. 1480

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.