How does Catherine of Alexandria (Palladas) elucidate its Description?
The materials used were egg tempera on gold leaf and wood panel.  The height is 158.7 cm (62.2 in) and the width is 117.8 cm (46.4 in).  The painting is over 5 feet tall, it was completed in 1612.  It was part of a large group of paintings completed for the iconostasis of Saint Catherine's Monastery in Mount Sinai, Egypt. The icon features Catherine of Alexandria.  The princess sits in a position similar to Palladas's earlier work depicting Saint Catherine.  The artist created an advanced version of his earlier work.Palladas integrates Michael Damaskinos's Virgin of the Burning Bush in the middle ground.  The artist clearly attempts to escape the traditional maniera greca and incorporates the prevalent Cretan style.  The painting exhibits deeper space and enhanced three-dimensionality.  The artist clearly superimposes Damaskinos's work in the background.  The mountains are painted in the traditional Cretan style.  The mountains are Jebel Mousa featuring Moses and Theotokos as the burning bush and Jebel Katrin with the tomb of Saint Catherine accompanied by two angels.  The gilded background fits into the three-dimensional space.  The artist also creates a natural scene with green valleys.
Palladas aimed to construct a figure with substance and dimensionality.  He integrated academic themes in the foreground.  Symbols of wisdom are present.  Books, square and compasses, a gnomon, an inkwell with quills, and an astrolabe are all present.  In her right hand, she holds the martyr's palm.  Her left-hand rests on a spiked wheel.  In the same hand, she also holds a cross.  She looks at the cross indicating a connection with Jesus.  Her stance is very similar to a painting by Venetian painter Lorenzo Lotto.  His Saint Catherine resembles the pose of Palladas's work.  Her head is shifted to our right.  Her waist and legs are shifted towards our left.
She is enthroned and dressed in royal attire.  The model was an elaborate Venetian garment.  Her cape-like Pellegrina is draped over her dress. It follows the traditional Greek Italian Byzantine style where the stole is draped over her left arm.  The cape-like garment also features two eagles.  To our left, a book rests on an ornamented Venetian style lectern.  Below the books, there is a Greek inscription:Αἰκατερίνα καὶ σοφὴ καὶ παρθένος, ἐκ δὲ ξίφους καὶ μάρτυς, ὢ καλὰ τρία (The three virtues of Catherine, wise, pure and martyred by the sword.  His signature is also on the painting ΧΕΙΡ ΙΕΡΕΜΙΟΥ (by the hand of Jeremiah).
spiked wheel Catherine astrolabe Moses Mount Sinai stole lectern Pellegrina Saint Catherine Palladas left Lorenzo Lotto Theotokos Virgin of the Burning Bush Saint Catherine's Monastery burning bush Catherine of Alexandria Jebel Katrin Lotto square and compasses gnomon Jebel Mousa Michael Damaskinos