Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Copyright Undetermined
Accession Number:
B1993.30.16
Gallery Label:
Gwen John’s conversion to Catholicism in 1913 led her to discover the writings of the Carmelite nun Thérèse of Lisieux, who had died in 1897 at just twenty-four years old. Canonized in 1925, Thérèse had described a "little way" to holiness, the humble acceptance of small sufferings and sacrifices in the monotony of daily life rather than the necessity of heroic acts of faith. This painting of a young woman, though larger than usual, is typical of John’s mature work when she relied on only a few models to produce paintings of solitary young women. They are rarely named and are typically posed in quiet contemplation, sometimes, as here, praying the Rosary. They reflect a belief in the importance of embracing one’s insignificance and of the superiority of the work of prayer and contemplation over worldly action. Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2016