Biography

The Master of the Legend of Saint Catherine was a painter active in Brussels in the last quarter of the 15th century. His name was coined by Max Friedländer in 1926 to refer to an anonymous painter whose style was identified from a series of panels dedicated to the life of St. Catherine of Alexandria held in the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts (Belgium). In Friedländer's words (1969): "A few years ago, I was intrigued by a picture then on the market in Paris [...] It clearly displays a style I have noted in some other works from both the immediate and the more remote circle around Rogier, although less sharply articulated, pure and tangible. The painting represents the legend of St. Catherine, and I have named its author after it".

According to Pérez Preciado (2024) the work of this artist shows a clear influence of Rogier van der Weyden, both in the composition and in the human models, although with a more rigid and less subtle execution. Some researchers have suggested that it could be Pieter van der Weyden, son of Rogier, although this hypothesis is still under debate (Pérez Preciado, 2024). The figures are characterized by slanted eyes, protruding ears and a restrained expression that accentuates the spirituality of the scenes. Likewise, his narrative sense stands out, paying special attention to the details in the architectures. There are numerous works attributed to the Master of the Legend of Santa Catalina scattered in museums and institutions. See, for example: The Crucifixion (Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid), Fragment of the Triptych of the Adoration of the Magi (Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels) or St. Michael (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

Bibliography

• FRIEDLÄNDER, Max J. (1969): Early Netherlandish Painting, vol. IV, Frederick A. Praeger, Nueva York, p. 57.
• PÉREZ PRECIADO, José Juan (2024): Pintura flamenca del siglo XV en el Museo Nacional del Prado, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, pp. 225-230.