The ''Saint Catherine of Alexandria Polyptych'' (also known as Pisa Polyptych) is a painting by the Italian medieval artist

Simone Martini Simone Martini ( – July 1344) was an Italian painter born in Siena. He was a major figure in the development of early Italian painting and greatly influenced the development of the International Gothic style. It is thought that Martini was a p ...

, dating to 1320. Originally placed at the high altar of the church of Santa Caterina, Pisa, it is now housed in the

Museo Nazionale di San Matteo The National Museum of San Matteo in Pisa (''Museo Nazionale di San Matteo'') displays works from historic ecclesiastical buildings in the city and Province of Pisa. Collections The works span from early medieval period to the 16th century. The co ...

of the same city. The work is signed SYMON DE SENIS ME PINXIT in the central panel with the ''Madonna and Child''. According to the original convent's annals, the polyptych was placed at the altar in 1320. It was thus completed by that year, having been likely begun in 1319.

Description

The polyptych is Martini's largest work, and includes numerous sub-panels. The altarpiece consists of seven main elements, each one in three parts: a cusp, a smaller panel divided into two sections, and a larger panel depicting a single saint. There is also a predella consisting of seven smaller size panels. There are 15

predella In art a predella (plural predelle) is the lowest part of an altarpiece, sometimes forming a platform or step, and the painting or sculpture along it, at the bottom of an altarpiece, sometimes with a single much larger main scene above, but oft ...

figures, an upper row with other 14 figures and seven cusps with other characters. There is a total of 44 figures. The central panel depicts the ''Madonna with Child''; the remaining six main panels are, from left to right, ''St. Dominic'', ''St. John the Evangelist'', ''St. Mary Magdalene'', ''St. Catherine of Alexandria'', ''St. John the Baptist'' and ''St. Peter of Verona''. All these figures are enclosed within three foiled cusped arches. Above the Madonna are the two archangels Gabriel and Michael and, above them, the ''Blessing Christ''. The six saints panel are surmounted by the Twelve Apostles arranged in couples, with the exception of St. John the Evangelist, replaced by St. Paul. Each apostle is carrying a copy of the Gospel and is named on the background. From left to right, Thaddaeus, Simon, Philip and James the Less, talking animatedly about the Scriptures; followed by Andrew and Peter. In the cusps, next to the Blessing Christ, are David playing the harp, Moses with the Tables of the Law and the prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel and Ezechiel. The predella shows, at the center, ''Christ in the Sepulchre with the Madonna and St. Mark'' and further couples of saints which, from left to right, are Gregory and Luke, Stephen and Apollonia, Jerome and Lucy, Agnes and Ambrose, Thomas of Aquino and Augustine, Ursula and Lawrence Since the identification of the saints is controversial, the saints panels in the museum are placed differently from the image in this article.

References

{{Simone Martini 1320s paintings Polyptychs Paintings of Jerome Paintings of the Madonna and Child Paintings of John the Baptist Paintings of Mary Magdalene Paintings in the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo Paintings of Catherine of Alexandria