Saint Catherine of Alexandria Polyptych

The Saint Catherine of Alexandria Polyptych is a stunning masterpiece by the Italian medieval artist Simone Martini, completed in 1320. Originally gracing the high altar of Santa Caterina Church in Pisa, it now resides in the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo, also in Pisa.

This extraordinary work is Martini's largest, featuring a remarkable array of figures across its panels. The polyptych consists of seven main panels, fifteen figures in the predella, an upper row with fourteen figures, and seven cusps with additional characters, making up a total of forty-four figures.

At the heart of the central panel is the Madonna with Child. Surrounding this centerpiece, the other main panels showcase prominent saints: St. Dominic, St. John the Evangelist, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. John the Baptist, and St. Peter of Verona. The predella, which is the lower section of the altarpiece, includes a depiction of Christ in the Sepulchre with the Madonna and St. Mark, along with various pairs of saints.

There's some debate among experts about the identification of the saints in the artwork, which has led to different placements of the panels in the museum compared to their traditional arrangement. Despite this, the polyptych remains a captivating and intricate example of medieval artistry.