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Virgin and Child with Saint Jerome and Saint Catherine of Alexandria
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
In his right hand, the Christ child grasps a stem of roses. The beauty and fragrance of roses symbolize heaven, while their thorny stems allude to the crown of thorns and Christ's suffering. The bird he holds in his left hand symbolizes the human soul. The elaborate haloes with Latin inscriptions identify the figures and help organize the composition. The names of Christ, Saint Jerome, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria appear in abbreviated form. The Madonna's halo proclaims her worthiness to bear the Son of God: "Hail, full of grace," while the inscription at the top is one of her most popular titles: "Merciful Mother."
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineVirgin and Child with Saint Jerome and Saint Catherine of Alexandria, c. 1450. Carolino da Viterbo (Italian). Tempera and gold on wood panel; framed: 68.5 x 47.5 x 5 cm (26 15/16 x 18 11/16 x 1 15/16 in.); unframed: 59.7 x 39 cm (23 1/2 x 15 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Fanny Tewksbury King Collection, 1956.719
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