Saints as Stand-Ins

When women commissioned altarpieces, they often chose female saints who mirrored their own situations. A woman fighting to control her inheritance might commission a painting of Saint Catherine, who in legend outargued a panel of pagan philosophers. A widow might choose Saint Anne, the independent matriarch.

These weren't random devotional choices. They were strategic self-portraits by proxy. The patron could see herself reflected in the saint's story, and anyone who understood the symbolism knew exactly what claim she was making about her own life and authority.