Saint Catherine

Designed by G E Street, the American Church in Rome was constructed between 1872 and 1876. In 1881 Burne-Jones received the commission to design the mosaics in the semi-dome and later was asked to also decorate the two arches in the apse and the choir. At Burne-Jones’ death in 1898 the Earthly Paradise subject in the choir was left unfinished. Rooke, who had been Burne-Jones’ studio assistant, was able to step in and supervise the completion of the project between 1905 and 1907. At the suggestion Robert Nevin, the rector of the church, Rooke gave many of the figures the faces of important members of the Anglican Communion and of American and Italian heroes. This drawing of St Catherine, one of the virgin saints, has been identified as a portrait of Mrs Potter, wife of the Bishop of New York.