Here is the Virgin Mary from over thirty-five countries and across five continents. She is black, white, Asian, Indian, Latina, and more. She sits in Buddha-like serenity from the Far East, walks with peasant simplicity in the Andes Mountains, weeps in sorrow for the sins of the human race. She is motherly, homespun, helpful and doting. She is beautiful, powerful and triumphant. She is the Queen of Heaven and Earth.
Christians have revered the Virgin Mary since she was alive on earth. Early images of her were painted on the walls of the catacombs. Paintings, figurines and statues of the Madonna have been popular for centuries.
This is a devotional art book, featuring pictures of exquisite Marian statuettes and figurines from all over the world. Culled from a collection at a Benedictine monastery, the book will also have prayers and short commentary on the pictures to enrich the reader's experience.
John and the photographer, Doug Rosenthal, are currently seeking the publisher for this book.
The Virgin of the Annunciation
Derived from a painting by Titian, this marble Madonna has an idealized beauty, with strong yet gentle hands. The bliss of hearing her Lord's purpose for her life has made her close her eyes to her angelic visitor. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to thy word." - the perfect response of any Christian heart.
Italy.
The Virgin of the Annunciation (detail)
Kitchen Madonna
Fashioned after a Dutch piece which Father, later Bishop, Fulton J. Sheen had given to a couple in Washington. Commissioned by the Christ Child Society of Washington in the Marian year of 1954, it became popular especially for newlywed wives, and was written up in many Catholic newspapers of the day. Instead of the blue china of the Dutch original, it was made in various colors "to blend in with the colorful kitchens of our modern homes" as one writer of the times said.
USA
Nuestra Senora de la Leche
"Of the Milk", this Madonna is for mothers, and also represents Mary's motherhood for all Christians. The original shrine, built in Madrid by King Phillip III, was destroyed by communists on March 13, 1936 in the Spanish Civil War. Also called Our Lady of the Mild and Happy Delivery (Buen Parto), she was the first shrine in what was later to become the United States, built at St. Augustine, Florida, in 1620, on the spot where the first Mass in North America had been offered 55 years earlier. The present chapel there was built in 1915, previous chapels having been destroyed by colonial gunfire and hurricane.
Spain
Notre Dame de Salette
6,000 feet above sea level, near the village of La Salette, France, Mary appeared to two children tending cattle. It was September 19, 1846, an Ember Saturday, the eve of the feast of the seven dolours of Our Lady. The children saw a lady appear from a globe of light, weeping bitterly. She told them she prayed constantly to restrain the hand of her Son. She said unless people returned to Mass and stopped swearing with her Son's Name, there would be a failure of the potato crop and a great famine.
France.
Mater Admirabilis
Painted by a young French girl, Pauline Perdrau, in a niche in a Roman cloister. Pope Pius IX gave it its name, Mother Most Admirable, when he saw it in 1846. Many miracles have been associated with it. The lily is an Easter lily, but its symbol is of Mary's utter purity in thought and deed. The vertical pole next to her is a spindle, and it symbolizes patient labor in Mary's life. The book lying on top of the basket symbolizes her patronage of learning. (Pauline Perdrau attended the Sisters of the Sacred Heart's school, and Mater Admirabilis is associated with that order.) This Mary is interesting also because she is pictured very young, even before her conception of Jesus Christ.
Italy
If you are interested in discussing the possibilities of publication, or have any ideas on how to advance this project to serve the Glory of God, please email me.
see Catholic Art
by Sue Kouma Johnson
website design and contents copyright 2010 john philip johnson.
photographs on this page copyright Doug Rosenthal CONTACT
Some enthusiastic responses from publishers:
"It's a neat project, and I can certainly see it working well in print." Kevin Burns, Novalis
"This work is certainly deserving of wide distribution." Jacquelyn M. Lindsey, Our Sunday Visitor
"We trust you will not have any trouble finding a suitable home for you book soon." Fr. Edmund C. Lane, St. Paul/Alba
The main reason cited by these and other encouraging publishers was the cost of a hard-bound picture book in these economic times. However, it is the opinion of the author this book would work well as a trade paperback.
The book will feature the beautifuland prayerful portrait photography of Doug Rosenthal. For most pictures, we envision some brief text, 50-150 words, either of a devotional quality (prayers and meditations written by Benedictine priests and monks), or historical notes on the shrine or apparition, or personal commentary, mainly by the woman who made this collection her life's work.
There are 175 figurines and statuettes in this collection, although the book could pare it down to those which are most exquisite and exceptional. The figures are very diverse, coming from all over the world, which helps express the catholicity of the Church, as well as the multiculturalism of the times.
Globally, about one or two new books come out every year on Marian art and Marian images. This subject has been a staple in popular publishing for at least a century. As a Catholic book idea, this work has precedence. This book is unique, there is nothing like it in existence, perhaps because this collection is so unique. It was the life's work of one woman, taking decades upon decades, and requiring world travel by her and her husband and friends of the family. The beautiful samples on this page do not give justice to the vastness and diversity of the collection. Please contact us for a complete listing and sample photography of the larger collection.
