Cella di Santa Caterina

On the edge of the garden of the former convent of the Benedictine nuns of San Paolo, is the Cell of Saint Catherine, a small room whose two walls are decorated with frescoes by Alessandro Araldi (approx 1460 - 1528), one of the most active teachers in Parma at the turn of the fifteenth and sixteenth century, before Correggio became famous, and representing two scenes from the Life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, namely, the "dispute of Catherine before the Emperor Massimino" and "St. Catherine and St. Jerome." in 1514. The style of Araldi seems to be in contrast with the particular awareness modeled by the works of Perugino and Pinturicchio, which is characterised by the classical poise of the figures and the atmosphere of elegant simplicity which characterises both frescoes.