This painting was created as a study of Caravaggio’s painting method, focusing particularly on his dramatic use of light and shadow, strong tonal contrasts and the way he modelled form to create a convincing sense of three-dimensionality.

I was drawn to the quiet intensity of Saint Catherine’s expression and the simplicity of the composition. Working from Caravaggio’s Saint Catherine of Alexandria gave me the opportunity to explore his approach to building a figure from light and shadow, rather than relying on detail alone.

The study formed part of my exploration of traditional Old Master techniques and my ongoing interest in the methods used by the great European painters. It was an exercise in observing how carefully controlled light, tonal structure and edges can create both realism and atmosphere in an oil painting.