{"id":337563,"date":"2026-07-12T15:51:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T13:51:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/?post_type=product&p=337563"},"modified":"2026-07-12T15:55:56","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T13:55:56","slug":"saint-catherine","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/saint-catherine\/","title":{"rendered":"Saint Catherine, c. 1150"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Saint Catherine, c. 1150
\nRomanesque rarity
\nAlpine style
\nc. 1150\/70
\nCarved from walnut wood
\nTraces of original polychromy
\nHeight 99 cm<\/p>\n

On display:
\nGothic & Mining Museum, Leogang
\nJanuary 2024 \u2013 January 2025<\/p>\n

According to tradition, Catherine was a princess from Cyprus. She rejected all suitors, recognized Jesus Christ as her true bridegroom, and traveled to Alexandria. There, she refused to offer a sacrifice to idols before the Roman Emperor Maxentius, who subsequently had her tortured. Among other things, she was broken on the wheel and ultimately beheaded.
\nThe martyr is considered one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is regarded as the most important of the holy virgins. The following folk saying is well known: \u201cMargaret with the worm, Barbara with the tower, Catherine with the wheel\u2014these are the three holy maidens.\u201d
\nNumerous aspects attest to the rarity and museum-quality of this highly significant figure. While sculptural depictions of Saint Catherine are common in the Gothic period, this Romanesque-era sculpture\u2014dated as early as the mid-12th century and in this exceptionally good state of preservation\u2014is likely unique. The oldest fresco depicting Saint Catherine was created in the first half of the 8th century, and the legends surrounding her life were eventually established in the following century. In the 10th century, she was included in the list of saints, and in the 12th century she was regarded as the patron saint of the Crusaders; in the 13th century, additional patronages were added, including those of virgins, wives, philosophers, teachers, printers, hospitals, and libraries.<\/p>\n

The figure in the museum is particularly notable for its height of 99 cm and the choice of material. Romanesque wooden figures are surprisingly rare in the Alpine region. While Romanesque fragments, reliefs, and figures are usually preserved in stone, this is a freestanding sculpture carved from fine walnut wood in the full-round style. This emphasizes the all-around visibility of this extremely early depiction of Saint Catherine. The sculpture stands upright and is characterized by long, slender proportions and a towering stature. This is underscored by the elongated, elegant neck and skillfully reflects the typical verticality of Romanesque sculptures. In her left, bent hand, she holds the wagon wheel. With her right hand, she grasps the hilt of the long sword with a broad blade, the tip of which nearly touches her foot. These are Saint Catherine\u2019s typical attributes, alluding to her martyrdom, and these unmistakable identifying features clearly identify the figure as Saint Catherine.<\/p>\n

A wide crown band rests on Catherine\u2019s oval head, identifying her as a king\u2019s daughter. Beneath it, curly hair cascades gently downward, perfectly framing her prominent, convex face with its small ears. The high forehead reflects a particular ideal of beauty, according to which women shaved the hair above their foreheads to achieve a higher hairline. The highly symmetrical face is characterized by sharply defined brow ridges that flow into a prominent nose with a straight bridge. The elongated philtrum leads to a mouth curved into a mischievous smile and a small chin with a central dimple.
\nParticularly captivating is Catherine\u2019s expressive eye area: her closely set, deep-set, almond-shaped eyes with pronounced upper and lower eyelids give her gaze an especially alert and proud appearance. At the same time, her face exudes a youthful, majestic vitality that causes viewers to pause.<\/p>\n

The martyr\u2019s luxurious attire also underscores her significance: a heavy cloak with a stand-up collar flows down her body to her knees and is held together across her chest by a large diamond-shaped brooch reminiscent of Roman fibulae. The dress beneath it also falls in thick, diagonal folds to the hem. Catherine wears simple pointed shoes that peek out from beneath the fabric. What is particularly intriguing here is the interplay of the drapery: while the outer garment rests against the body in a soft, flowing, form-fitting manner, the more voluminous undergarment contrasts with deeper, parallel folds that lend the figure a sense of physicality. This forms a compositional counterpoint to the elongated upper body and the left hand, which reaches out to present the attribute to the viewer. The folds also playfully emphasize certain features of the figure; for example, the flat, diagonally folded pleat above the chest, which directs the viewer\u2019s gaze toward the outstretched left hand, or the cluster of folds directly below it, directed in the opposite direction, which frames Catherine\u2019s right hand and thus highlights the second attribute.<\/p>\n

The Romanesque period is characterized by a high degree of stylization in its figures, and this depiction of Catherine is also clearly rooted in the style of that era in its overall conception. The elongated proportions do not reflect realism but rather a perspective rooted in meaning. The head is usually depicted larger in relation to the body; this is part of the archaic posture and facial expressions, which draw on late antique and Byzantine models. The symbolically unambiguous depiction, with an emphasis on the central attributes for easy recognition, as well as a flat treatment of the surfaces\u2014as seen, for example, on the cloak\u2014are further typical characteristics of the Romanesque period. Good comparisons can be drawn with French sculpture from the second quarter of the 12th century as well as with West Alpine sculpture. A suitable comparative work here is the relief of the Last Judgment on the west tympanum of Saint-Lazare Cathedral in Autun, Burgundy, by the sculptor Gislebertus, who created it around 1120\u201335. Similar characteristics include the parallel, downward-running bowl folds that lie close to the body and the doughy drapery of the fabric. An extremely striking comparison is provided by a group of figures depicting the Holy Family in a stone relief dating from between 1100 and 1150, which has been preserved on the fa\u00e7ade of the pilgrimage church of Maria Schnee in Obermauern, East Tyrol. Here, there is a striking resemblance in Mary\u2019s physiognomy, characterized by her pronounced almond-shaped eyes and the vertical nose-to-mouth axis with a central dimple.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the fleshy folds on the side and the diagonal longitudinal folds above the Madonna\u2019s feet bear a close resemblance to those of Saint Catherine.
\nNot least remarkable is the sculpture\u2019s original polychrome paint scheme, which has been preserved. Until the Late Gothic period, sculptors were also painters who applied color and gilding to their carved figures themselves. By comparing the color nuances with chemical analysis, the three predominant colors\u2014the blue of the outer side of the cloak, the green of the inner side of the cloak, and the red of the dress\u2014can be identified: The blue is presumably mountain blue or azure; the green was likely derived from Tyrolean green earth; and the red was most likely produced from bright cinnabar. The blue pigment is derived from azurite and is considered one of the most important and expensive pigments of all, as lapis lazuli had to be imported from Afghanistan. The pigment derived from \u201cGr\u00fcne Erde,\u201d which varied by region, was already in use in antiquity, primarily for wall paintings. Cinnabar was used as early as thousands of years before the birth of Christ and is particularly notable for its opacity and luminosity, which are also clearly evident in this sculpture.
\nThese symbolic colors were not chosen at random. Blue, the divine color associated with the heavens, was regarded from the 12th century onward as the color of chastity and therefore, in particular, as the color of Mary, who from that time onward was often depicted wearing a blue cloak over a red dress. As a result, this depiction of Saint Catherine also appears to be inspired by the popular Marian color scheme. Here, the red is an expression of symbolic authority, a tradition adopted from late antiquity. It is also often regarded as the color of martyrdom. The green here could symbolize love and hope. These magnificent colors appeared particularly vibrant in combination with the gilded brooch and the oil-gilded hair, remnants of which have also been preserved.<\/p>\n

Overall, this museum-quality sculpture exudes a majestic, self-assured demeanor; it is in an exceptionally well-preserved state for a wooden work, with traces of the original polychromy still visible, and possesses a lovely expressiveness that lends this Romanesque sculpture a supple grace and makes it appear lifelike to the viewer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Saint Catherine, c. 1150 Romanesque rarity Alpine style c. 1150\/70 Carved from walnut wood Traces of original polychromy Height 99 cm On display: Gothic & Mining Museum, Leogang January 2024 \u2013 January 2025 According to tradition, Catherine was a princess from Cyprus. She rejected all suitors, recognized Jesus Christ as her true bridegroom, and traveled […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":337565,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[229],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-337563","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-directsell","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"purchasable","11":"product-type-direct_sell","12":"berocket_lgv_grid","13":"berocket_lgv_list_grid"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSaint Catherine, c. 1150 | Directsale - Tiberius<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Saint Catherine, c. 1150 - in Tiberius Auctions' direct sales. 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Katharina um 1150","post_content":"Heilige Katharina um 1150\r\nRomanische Seltenheit\r\nAlpenl\u00e4ndisch\r\nUm 1150\/70\r\nNussholz geschnitzt\r\nReste von originaler Polychromie\r\nH\u00f6he 99 cm\r\n\r\nAusgestellt:\r\nGotik- & Bergbaumuseum, Leogang\r\nJ\u00e4nner 2024 - J\u00e4nner 2025\r\n\r\nDer \u00dcberlieferung nach war Katharina eine K\u00f6nigstochter aus Zypern. Sie wies alle Brautwerber ab, erkannte Jesus Christus als den wahren Br\u00e4utigam und reiste nach Alexandria. Dort verweigerte sie das G\u00f6tzenopfer vor dem r\u00f6mischen Kaiser Maxentius, welcher sie daraufhin martern lie\u00df. Unter anderem wurde sie ger\u00e4dert und letztendlich enthauptet. Die M\u00e4rtyrerin gilt als eine der Vierzehn Nothelfer und stellt die wichtigste der heiligen Jungfrauen dar. Im Volksmund ist folgender Spruch bekannt: \u201eMargaretha mit dem Wurm, Barbara mit dem Turm, Katharina mit dem Radl, das sind die heiligen drei Madln\u201c.\r\nZahlreiche Aspekte \u00fcberzeugen von der Rarit\u00e4t sowie der musealen Qualit\u00e4t dieser hochbedeutenden Figur. W\u00e4hrend skulpturale Darstellungen der heiligen Katharina in der Gotik verbreitet sind, ist diese Skulptur aus romanischer Zeit mit einer solch fr\u00fchen Datierung um die Mitte des 12. Jahrhunderts und in diesem au\u00dfergew\u00f6hnlich guten Erhaltungszustand wahrscheinlich einzigartig. Das \u00e4lteste Fresko mit einer Katharinendarstellung entstand in der ersten H\u00e4lfte des 8. Jahrhunderts und im folgenden Jahrhundert festigten sich schlie\u00dflich die Legenden um ihre Person. Im 10. Jahrhundert wurde sie ins Heiligenverzeichnis aufgenommen und im 12. Jahrhundert galt sie als Patronin der Kreuzritter, wobei im 13. Jahrhundert weitere Patronate hinzukamen, so unter anderem jenes der Jungfrauen, der Ehefrauen, der Philosophen, der Lehrer, der Buchdrucker, der Krankenh\u00e4user und der Bibliotheken.\r\nDie museale Figur zeichnet sich besonders durch ihre Gr\u00f6\u00dfe von 99 cm und die gew\u00e4hlte Materialit\u00e4t aus. Romanische Figuren aus Holz sind in der alpinen Region erstaunlich selten. W\u00e4hrend meist romanische Fragmente, Reliefe und Figuren h\u00e4ufig in steinerner Ausf\u00fchrung erhalten sind, handelt es sich hier um eine freistehende Plastik aus feinem Nussholz, das vollrund geschnitzt ist. Dies betont die Allansichtigkeit dieser extrem fr\u00fchen Katharinendarstellung. Die Skulptur ist aufrecht stehend und zeigt sich mit langgliedrigen Proportionen und hochaufragender Statur. Diese wird durch den gel\u00e4ngten eleganten Hals unterstrichen und reflektiert gekonnt die typische Vertikalit\u00e4t romanischer Skulpturen. In der linken angewinkelten Hand h\u00e4lt sie das Wagenrad. Mit der rechten Hand umfasst sie den Griff des langen Schwertes mit breiter Klinge, dessen Spitze beinahe ihren Fu\u00df ber\u00fchrt. Dabei handelt es sich um Katharinas typische Attribute als Verweise auf ihr Martyrium, wobei diese unverwechselbaren Erkennungsmerkmale die Darstellung eindeutig als heilige Katharina ausweisen.\r\nAuf Katharinas ovalem Kopf sitzt ein breiter Kronreif, der sie als K\u00f6nigstochter identifiziert. Darunter treten kr\u00f6senf\u00f6rmig gewellte Haare zum Vorschein, die sanft herabfallen und das prominent-konvexe Gesicht mit den kleinen Ohren optimal rahmen. Die hohe Stirn spiegelt ein besonderes Sch\u00f6nheitsideal wider, wonach sich Frauen die Haare oberhalb der Stirn abrasierten, um einen h\u00f6heren Haaransatz zu gewinnen. Das \u00fcberaus symmetrische Gesicht ist charakterisiert von scharf gefurchten Augenbrauengraten, die in eine markante Nase mit geradem Nasenr\u00fccken verlaufen. Das langgezogene Philtrum m\u00fcndet in einem, zu einem verschmitzten L\u00e4cheln verzogenen, Mund und einem kleinen Kinn mit zentralem Gr\u00fcbchen. Besonders fesselnd ist Katharinas ausdrucksstarke Augenpartie: Durch die eng zusammenstehenden, tiefliegenden und mandelf\u00f6rmigen Augen mit prononcierten Ober- und Unterlidern wirkt ihr Blick vor allem wachsam und stolz. Gleichzeitig gewinnt ihr Gesicht an jugendlich-majest\u00e4tischer Lebendigkeit, die die Betrachter innehalten l\u00e4sst.\r\nDie luxuri\u00f6se Kleidung der M\u00e4rtyrerin unterstreicht ebenso ihre Bedeutung: Ein schwerer Umhang mit aufgestelltem Kragen flie\u00dft an ihrem K\u00f6rper bis zu den Knien herab und wird \u00fcber der Brust von einer gro\u00dfen rautenf\u00f6rmigen Brosche zusammengehalten, die noch an r\u00f6mische Fibeln erinnert. Auch das Kleid darunter f\u00e4llt in dicken, diagonalen Falten auf die Bodenkante. Katharina tr\u00e4gt schlichte spitze Schuhe, die unter dem Stoff hervorblitzen. Spannend ist hierbei das Wechselspiel der Draperie: w\u00e4hrend das Obergewand in teigig-verlaufender, enganliegender Manier am K\u00f6rper aufliegt, kontrastiert das volumin\u00f6sere Untergewand durch tiefer eingekerbte Parallelfalten, welche der Figur K\u00f6rperhaftigkeit verleihen. Dies bildet einen kompositorischen Gegenpol zum gel\u00e4ngten Oberk\u00f6rper und der raumgreifenden linken Hand, die dem Betrachter das Attribut pr\u00e4sentiert. Spielerisch unterstreichen die Falten au\u00dferdem gewisse Merkmale der Figur; so beispielsweise die flach umgeschlagene Diagonalfalte \u00fcber der Brust, die den Blick des Betrachters zur ausgestreckten linken Hand lenkt oder der direkt darunter in die Gegenrichtung gelenkte Faltenbausch, der die rechte Hand Katharinas rahmt und so das zweite Attribut hervorhebt.\r\nDie Romanik besticht durch ein hohes Ma\u00df an Stilisierung bei Figuren, wobei auch diese Katharina stilistisch in ihrer Gesamtauffassung deutlich der Epoche verhaftet ist. Die gel\u00e4ngten Proportionen spiegeln keinen Realismus, sondern eine Bedeutungsperspektive wider. Meist wird der Kopf im Gegensatz zum K\u00f6rper gr\u00f6\u00dfer dargestellt, wobei dies Teil der archaischen Haltung und Mimik ist, welche einen R\u00fcckgriff auf sp\u00e4tantike und byzantinische Vorbilder zeigen. Die symbolhaft-eindeutige Darstellung mit Betonung der zentralen Attribute zur einfachen Wiedererkennung sowie eine fl\u00e4chenhafte Bearbeitung der Oberfl\u00e4chen, so beispielsweise am Mantel, sind weitere typische Merkmale der romanischen Zeit. Gute Vergleiche liefert die franz\u00f6sische Skulptur des zweiten Viertels des 12. Jahrhunderts sowie die westalpine Plastik. Als Vergleichswerk bietet sich hier das Relief des J\u00fcngsten Gerichts am Westtympanon der Kathedrale Saint-Lazare in Autun, Burgund, des Bildhauers Gislebertus an, der dieses gegen 1120-35 schuf. \u00c4hnliche Merkmale sind die parallel nach unten verlaufenden, eng am K\u00f6rper anliegenden Sch\u00fcsselfalten und teigig drapierte Stoffbahnen. Einen \u00e4u\u00dferst eindrucksvollen Vergleich zeigt eine Figurengruppe der Heiligen Familie im Steinrelief aus der Zeit zwischen 1100 und 1150, die an der Fassade der Wallfahrtskirche Maria Schnee in Obermauern in Osttirol erhalten geblieben ist. Hier liegt eine frappierende \u00c4hnlichkeit in der Physiognomie Marias durch die betonten mandelf\u00f6rmigen Augen und die vertikale Nasen-Mund-Achse mit zentralem Gr\u00fcbchen vor. Weiters stehen die fleischigen Sch\u00fcsselfalten an der Seite sowie die diagonalen L\u00e4ngsfalten \u00fcber den F\u00fc\u00dfen der Madonna in enger Verwandtschaft zu der heiligen Katharina.\r\nBeachtlich ist nicht zuletzt die im Original erhaltene polychrome Fassung der Skulptur. Bis zur Sp\u00e4tgotik waren Bildhauer auch gleichzeitig Fassmaler, welche ihre geschnitzten Figuren selbst mit einer Farbfassung und Vergoldung versahen. Nach \u00dcbereinstimmung der Farbnuancen mit der Chemielehre lassen sich die drei vorherrschenden Farben \u2013 das Blau der Au\u00dfenseite des Mantels, das Gr\u00fcn der Mantelinnenseite und das Rot des Kleides \u2013 benennen: Bei der blauen Farbe handelt es sich vermutlich um Bergblau bzw. Azurblau, das Gr\u00fcn entstand wohl aus Tiroler Gr\u00fcner Erde und das Rot wurde mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit aus leuchtendem Zinnober hergestellt. Das blaue Farbpigment wird aus Azurit gewonnen und gilt als eines der wichtigsten und teuersten Pigmente \u00fcberhaupt, da Lapislazuli aus Afghanistan importiert werden musste. Das Pigment der regional unterschiedlichen Gr\u00fcnen Erde wurde schon in der Antike benutzt, vorwiegend f\u00fcr Wandmalereien. Zinnober oder Cinnabarit wurde bereits tausende Jahre vor Christi Geburt eingesetzt und \u00fcberzeugt vor allem durch seine Deck- und Leuchtkraft, die auch bei dieser Skulptur deutlich zum Ausdruck kommt.\r\nDiese symbolhaften Farben wurden nicht zuf\u00e4llig gew\u00e4hlt. Das g\u00f6ttliche, mit dem Himmel assoziierte Blau galt ab dem 12. Jahrhundert als Farbe der Keuschheit und daher insbesondere als Farbe Marias, welche ab dieser Zeit h\u00e4ufig einen blauen Mantel \u00fcber einem roten Kleid trug. Dadurch scheint diese Katharinendarstellung auch an die popul\u00e4re marianische Farbgebung angelehnt zu sein. Dabei ist das Rot ein Ausdruck von Herrschaftssymbolik, das aus der Sp\u00e4tantike \u00fcbernommen wurde. Gerne wird es auch als Farbe des Martyriums angesehen. Das Gr\u00fcn k\u00f6nnte hier Liebe und Hoffnung symbolisieren. Diese pr\u00e4chtigen Farben wirkten besonders leuchtend zusammen mit der vergoldeten Brosche und den \u00f6lvergoldeten Haaren, wobei hiervon ebenfalls Reste erhalten sind.\r\nInsgesamt zeugt diese hochmuseale Skulptur von majest\u00e4tisch-selbstbewusster Haltung, au\u00dfergew\u00f6hnlich gutem Erhaltungszustand im Medium Holz mit Farbresten der originalen Polychromie und einer lieblichen Ausdruckskraft, welche dieser romanischen Plastik eine geschmeidige Anmut verleiht und dem Betrachter lebendig erscheinen l\u00e4sst."},"en":{"id":"337563","post_title":"Saint Catherine, c. 1150","post_content":"<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-895eb11 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"895eb11\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\r\n<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\r\nSaint Catherine, c. 1150\r\nRomanesque rarity\r\nAlpine style\r\nc. 1150\/70\r\nCarved from walnut wood\r\nTraces of original polychromy\r\nHeight 99 cm\r\n\r\nOn display:\r\nGothic & Mining Museum, Leogang\r\nJanuary 2024 \u2013 January 2025\r\n\r\nAccording to tradition, Catherine was a princess from Cyprus. She rejected all suitors, recognized Jesus Christ as her true bridegroom, and traveled to Alexandria. There, she refused to offer a sacrifice to idols before the Roman Emperor Maxentius, who subsequently had her tortured. Among other things, she was broken on the wheel and ultimately beheaded.\r\nThe martyr is considered one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is regarded as the most important of the holy virgins. The following folk saying is well known: \u201cMargaret with the worm, Barbara with the tower, Catherine with the wheel\u2014these are the three holy maidens.\u201d\r\nNumerous aspects attest to the rarity and museum-quality of this highly significant figure. While sculptural depictions of Saint Catherine are common in the Gothic period, this Romanesque-era sculpture\u2014dated as early as the mid-12th century and in this exceptionally good state of preservation\u2014is likely unique. The oldest fresco depicting Saint Catherine was created in the first half of the 8th century, and the legends surrounding her life were eventually established in the following century. In the 10th century, she was included in the list of saints, and in the 12th century she was regarded as the patron saint of the Crusaders; in the 13th century, additional patronages were added, including those of virgins, wives, philosophers, teachers, printers, hospitals, and libraries.\r\n\r\nThe figure in the museum is particularly notable for its height of 99 cm and the choice of material. Romanesque wooden figures are surprisingly rare in the Alpine region. While Romanesque fragments, reliefs, and figures are usually preserved in stone, this is a freestanding sculpture carved from fine walnut wood in the full-round style. This emphasizes the all-around visibility of this extremely early depiction of Saint Catherine. The sculpture stands upright and is characterized by long, slender proportions and a towering stature. This is underscored by the elongated, elegant neck and skillfully reflects the typical verticality of Romanesque sculptures. In her left, bent hand, she holds the wagon wheel. With her right hand, she grasps the hilt of the long sword with a broad blade, the tip of which nearly touches her foot. These are Saint Catherine\u2019s typical attributes, alluding to her martyrdom, and these unmistakable identifying features clearly identify the figure as Saint Catherine.\r\n\r\nA wide crown band rests on Catherine\u2019s oval head, identifying her as a king\u2019s daughter. Beneath it, curly hair cascades gently downward, perfectly framing her prominent, convex face with its small ears. The high forehead reflects a particular ideal of beauty, according to which women shaved the hair above their foreheads to achieve a higher hairline. The highly symmetrical face is characterized by sharply defined brow ridges that flow into a prominent nose with a straight bridge. The elongated philtrum leads to a mouth curved into a mischievous smile and a small chin with a central dimple.\r\nParticularly captivating is Catherine\u2019s expressive eye area: her closely set, deep-set, almond-shaped eyes with pronounced upper and lower eyelids give her gaze an especially alert and proud appearance. At the same time, her face exudes a youthful, majestic vitality that causes viewers to pause.\r\n\r\nThe martyr\u2019s luxurious attire also underscores her significance: a heavy cloak with a stand-up collar flows down her body to her knees and is held together across her chest by a large diamond-shaped brooch reminiscent of Roman fibulae. The dress beneath it also falls in thick, diagonal folds to the hem. Catherine wears simple pointed shoes that peek out from beneath the fabric. What is particularly intriguing here is the interplay of the drapery: while the outer garment rests against the body in a soft, flowing, form-fitting manner, the more voluminous undergarment contrasts with deeper, parallel folds that lend the figure a sense of physicality. This forms a compositional counterpoint to the elongated upper body and the left hand, which reaches out to present the attribute to the viewer. The folds also playfully emphasize certain features of the figure; for example, the flat, diagonally folded pleat above the chest, which directs the viewer\u2019s gaze toward the outstretched left hand, or the cluster of folds directly below it, directed in the opposite direction, which frames Catherine\u2019s right hand and thus highlights the second attribute.\r\n\r\nThe Romanesque period is characterized by a high degree of stylization in its figures, and this depiction of Catherine is also clearly rooted in the style of that era in its overall conception. The elongated proportions do not reflect realism but rather a perspective rooted in meaning. The head is usually depicted larger in relation to the body; this is part of the archaic posture and facial expressions, which draw on late antique and Byzantine models. The symbolically unambiguous depiction, with an emphasis on the central attributes for easy recognition, as well as a flat treatment of the surfaces\u2014as seen, for example, on the cloak\u2014are further typical characteristics of the Romanesque period. Good comparisons can be drawn with French sculpture from the second quarter of the 12th century as well as with West Alpine sculpture. A suitable comparative work here is the relief of the Last Judgment on the west tympanum of Saint-Lazare Cathedral in Autun, Burgundy, by the sculptor Gislebertus, who created it around 1120\u201335. Similar characteristics include the parallel, downward-running bowl folds that lie close to the body and the doughy drapery of the fabric. An extremely striking comparison is provided by a group of figures depicting the Holy Family in a stone relief dating from between 1100 and 1150, which has been preserved on the fa\u00e7ade of the pilgrimage church of Maria Schnee in Obermauern, East Tyrol. Here, there is a striking resemblance in Mary\u2019s physiognomy, characterized by her pronounced almond-shaped eyes and the vertical nose-to-mouth axis with a central dimple.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, the fleshy folds on the side and the diagonal longitudinal folds above the Madonna\u2019s feet bear a close resemblance to those of Saint Catherine.\r\nNot least remarkable is the sculpture\u2019s original polychrome paint scheme, which has been preserved. Until the Late Gothic period, sculptors were also painters who applied color and gilding to their carved figures themselves. By comparing the color nuances with chemical analysis, the three predominant colors\u2014the blue of the outer side of the cloak, the green of the inner side of the cloak, and the red of the dress\u2014can be identified: The blue is presumably mountain blue or azure; the green was likely derived from Tyrolean green earth; and the red was most likely produced from bright cinnabar. The blue pigment is derived from azurite and is considered one of the most important and expensive pigments of all, as lapis lazuli had to be imported from Afghanistan. The pigment derived from \u201cGr\u00fcne Erde,\u201d which varied by region, was already in use in antiquity, primarily for wall paintings. Cinnabar was used as early as thousands of years before the birth of Christ and is particularly notable for its opacity and luminosity, which are also clearly evident in this sculpture.\r\nThese symbolic colors were not chosen at random. Blue, the divine color associated with the heavens, was regarded from the 12th century onward as the color of chastity and therefore, in particular, as the color of Mary, who from that time onward was often depicted wearing a blue cloak over a red dress. As a result, this depiction of Saint Catherine also appears to be inspired by the popular Marian color scheme. Here, the red is an expression of symbolic authority, a tradition adopted from late antiquity. It is also often regarded as the color of martyrdom. The green here could symbolize love and hope. These magnificent colors appeared particularly vibrant in combination with the gilded brooch and the oil-gilded hair, remnants of which have also been preserved.\r\n\r\nOverall, this museum-quality sculpture exudes a majestic, self-assured demeanor; it is in an exceptionally well-preserved state for a wooden work, with traces of the original polychromy still visible, and possesses a lovely expressiveness that lends this Romanesque sculpture a supple grace and makes it appear lifelike to the viewer.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>"}},"image":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/DIR_150-768x576.jpg","ask":158600,"bidsteps":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/337563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/337563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":337587,"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/337563\/revisions\/337587"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/337565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=337563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=337563"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=337563"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tiberius-auctions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=337563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}