Saint Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine of Siena is shown as a serene, half-length figure in a white habit and veil, her head slightly inclined and eyes gently closed. A subtle halo surrounds her head, and she is set against a dark background that makes the pale flesh tones and the flowing drapery stand out, with soft light revealing the delicate folds of the fabric. The composition is intimate and devotional, with naturalistic modeling and a restrained palette, in a style typical of Francesco Vanni’s late-Mannerist to early-Baroque painting, housed in a warm gilded arched frame.