Usula and her maidens
Catherine of Bologna·1456
Historical Context
Ursula and Her Maidens by Catherine of Bologna, painted around 1456 and now in the Gallerie dell'Accademia, is remarkable as one of the very few surviving paintings securely attributed to a female artist in Early Renaissance Italy. Catherine of Bologna (Caterina Vigri) was a Franciscan nun who founded the Corpus Domini convent in Bologna and was canonized in 1712. Her painting depicts Saint Ursula, the legendary British princess who according to medieval hagiography was martyred along with eleven thousand virgin companions by the Huns at Cologne. Ursula's story was among the most vivid in the late medieval martyrology, inspiring major cycles by Memling in Bruges.
Technical Analysis
Tempera on panel with intimate, carefully observed figures. The handling reflects a contemplative, personally invested approach rather than the confident technical assurance of professional workshop painters.
