Catherine's Chapel

Artist: Anni Morris
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Card: US$4.49
Print: from US$19.24

Catherine's Chapel

Acrylic on textured canvas

This was a commissioned painting I have recently finished. My brief was to paint a caped/hooded woman and to have the Chapel of St Catherine in the background.

This unique building sits on a hilltop outside the village of Abbotsbury, Dorset, England. The current building is 14th-century, its history and the reason why it was built is unknown. The church is not a regular place of worship with only a handful of services each year. However people have been coming to the chapel more often in recent years. In a niche inside – candles, feathers, coins, an icon of the saint, and prayers written on scraps of paper, to God, to Jesus, to St Catherine, to nobody in particular, expressions of human need and feeling are left. They get cleared away now and then, but more come.

According to legend, Catherine was a noble Roman woman from the Egyptian city of Alexandria of unusual beauty and intelligence who converted to Christianity. She protested against the worship of idols to the Emperor Maxentius, who called in 50 pagan philosophers to convince her of the error of her ways, but she ended up converting them instead.

Maxentius offered to marry her but on her refusal had her beaten and imprisoned. Her torturers tried to break her on a spiked wheel, but it blew apart. Finally she was beheaded – though milk flowed from her severed neck instead of blood. Her body was carried by angels to Mount Sinai, where the monastery which bears her name still exists. During the Middle Ages she became an enormously popular saint and is often depicted in icons, paintings, statues and manuscripts. In art she often carries a book, a sword, or a martyr’s palm, as well as the wheel which is her symbol, and she’s the patron saint of those who work with wheels, scholars, unmarried women, and many other professions and conditions of people. In 1969, however, the Vatican decided to suppress her cult on the grounds of the historical unreliability of her legend.

Catherine's Chapel belongs to the following groups:

# 1 ARTISTS OF REDBUBBLE , * Painted Ladies *, Acrylic Painting, All About Your Best Work, All Things Poetic, Artistic, Philosophical, Artists with Disabilities, AW Welcome Center, Everyday Women, Mature Woman, Mixed Media, Realist Traditional Art, THE DIVINE FEMININE and Woman Appreciation Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints

Sorina Williams

very beautiful painting! really enjoyed the history too.
Anni Morris

Thanks Sorina. I thought some might like to know a little of the history/background. I appreciate your comment :) ~ Anni
genevievem

great work Anni, the history was really interesting! I love the textured background on the canvas.
Leno

Interesting story well complimented by your fine art!
Karin Taylor

what a beautiful story….and a gorgeous depiction with soul and heart…..great work Anni!
Anni Morris

Thank you genevieve, for taking the time to comment :)
Anni Morris

Hi Leno, old buildings have such interesting histories. Thanks :) ~ Anni
Anni Morris

Hi Karin, Thank you so much for viewing and commenting. ;) ~ Anni
Sande Elkins

Lovely painting and I enjoyed reading the legend, fascinating.
Anni Morris replied

Hello Sande, glad you enjoyed my ramblings. Thanks heaps :) ~ Anni
helene ruiz

excellent work anni!
Anni Morris replied

Hi Helene, Thanks very much for commenting on this painting :) ~ Anni
Paul Turner

Anni and excellent piece of art work, which captures the texture and feel of a very beautiful place
Anni Morris

Thanks Paul, I do miss the old buildings back home…sigh. Cheers ~ Anni
Shelleymay

This is wonderful work! You have captured the history beautifully, love her eyes very expressive
Anni Morris

Great to hear from you Shelleymay, thanks so much ~ Anni :)
hickerson

great painting..enjoyed the history
Anni Morris replied

Thanks hickerson, very much appreciate you comments :) ~ Anni
lynzart

Beautiful work Anni, and thanks for sharing the story and history behind it. Lovely!
Anni Morris replied

Thanks so much Lyn, glad you found it interesting :))
Shylie Edwards

yes, you have been very busy!!! well done and thanks for the info!!
Anni Morris

Hi Shylie, trust you are keeping well? Thanks for looking in :)) Anni
Lynne Mettam

Hi Anni

Lovely painting.. very evocative and as usual, you weave an interesting story along with the painting. She must have been some girl!
Anni Morris

Hello Lynne, Always good to hear from you :) Yes…Catherine didn’t sound like she had it easy. Amazing chapel though. Thanks so much ~ Anni
SNAPPYDAVE

very Irish in appearance … cool
Anni Morris replied

Hi Dave, Yup she has an Irish air about her..it must be the black hair and blue eyes. Thanks for stopping to comment :) ~ Anni
SNAPPYDAVE

your welcome … great galery by the way … i will drop by loads more times ;-)
Anni Morris replied

:) I’ll be on the look out then
SNAPPYDAVE

;-)
Anni Morris replied

:))
missmilly

Love this! Beautiful!Milly
Anni Morris

Thanks Milly, good to hear from you :)) ~ Anni
fatchickengirl

Can’t have an itelligent woman having a following eh? beautiful picture and tho i knew St Cathirnes story I didn’t know about Abbotsbury (and i’ve been there, there is still an ancient Swannery and I was lucky enough togo at cygent time!). Next time I’m (the most beautiful coastline in England) I’m checking out this shrine and laying down my own prayer…
Anni Morris

I am so glad you could share this and have been there. I didn’t know about the Swannery. Some places have special significance in our hearts..sometimes we may not be aware why or how at the time…but this is sometimes later revealed. Thank you for your comment. Best regards ~ Anni :)
Pradeep Soman

Great feeling in this Anni….
Anni Morris replied

Thanks Pradeep, It was interesting learning the history of this chapel, and a privilege to paint something which had such a special feel to the buyer. ~ Anni
Van Cordle

Excellent!! Very well done!!
Anni Morris replied

Thank you Van Cordle, I’m glad you like it. ~ Anni
Piero

This is worth many comments, Beautiful work.
Anni Morris

Thanks Piero. Knowing the history behind the chapel made painting it all the more enjoyable. ~ Anni:)
Mike Paget

Lovely work
Anni Morris replied

Thank you Mike for viewing my work :) ~Anni
Marilyn Harris

Brilliant work Anni!!! Such interesting history!!!
Anni Morris

Hello blossom ~ yes, knowing the history about something you paint makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Thank you ~ Anni :)
Alan Findlater

excellent work well done
Anni Morris replied

Thank you Alan, much appreciated :) ~ Anni
Carlos Teófilo

Superb.
Trevor Patters...

Wow, I particularly like the woman’s face, its beautiful!
Suhel Rashid S...

Too Good, Excellent Art Work
Anni Morris

Thank you suhelrashid, for viewing my work ~ Anni :)
FAIRIEWOMAN1

Thisis a great painting, her expression is reminescent ot the old allegorical paintings. The story adds even more to this image, I think. Thank you for posting it here, I enjoyed reading about her as much as the painting itself!
karenuk1969

Wow! you can do so many styles so well, you really are very talented :-)
LilyMunroe

So faerytale-like, just beautiful!!! :) x
Anni Morris

Thanks so much Lily ~ Anni
softearthart

Hi, This is great,lots of power. Cheers
Anni Morris replied

Thank you softearthart :))
MoonSpiral

Beautiful painting Anni, the buyer must have been very pleased!!!
Anni Morris replied

Thanks MoonSpiral, yes the lady was ~ the history behind it made it special too. ~ Anni :)
Anita Art

Love this Anni …. so much….......
Anni Morris replied

That is so good to hear Anita, thank you :) ~ Anni
elenaoleniuc

So beautiful work !
Anni Morris replied

Thank you elena for looking and commenting ~ Anni :)