Shrine of St. Ursula

painting by Memling

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July 13, 2026

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The Shrine of St. Ursula is a reliquary commissioned by two nuns and completed in 1489 by the South Netherlandish painter Hans Memling. This artwork is in the form of a miniature chapel, featuring six painted panels along its sides that depict the story of St. Ursula and her 11,000 virgins. The narrative follows their journey from Cologne to Rome and back, presented with charm and colorful detail, though with little dramatic emotion. St. Ursula herself is a legendary virgin martyr, believed to have lived in the 4th century and martyred with her companions at Cologne by the Huns. The discovery of relics in Cologne in 1155 contributed to the legends surrounding her and her virgins.12

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Hans Memling
…extensive narration is the sumptuous Shrine of St. Ursula in the Hospital of St. John. It was commissioned by two nuns, Jacosa van Dudzeele and Anna van den Moortele, who are portrayed at one end of the composition kneeling before Mary. This reliquary, completed in 1489, is in the form…
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…extensive narration is the sumptuous Shrine of St. Ursula in the Hospital of St. John. It was commissioned by two nuns, Jacosa van Dudzeele and Anna van den Moortele, who are portrayed at one end of the composition kneeling before Mary. This reliquary, completed in 1489, is in the form…
Read More