🔥 Fine Vintage Modern SURREALIST Virgin MARY Icon Oil Painting

Description: This is a visually striking, expressive and Fine Vintage Modern SURREALIST Virgin MARY Catholic Icon Oil Painting on Masonite, by the esteemed Mid-Century Dominican Nun Modernist painter, Constance Mary Rowe aka Sister Mary of the Compassion (1908 - 1977.) This artwork depicts the shrouded silhouette of the Madonna, wearing a deep blue hooded cloak, and rendered against a moonlit sky and darkened background. A young blonde girl is kneeling before her, with her hands held together in prayer, and her eyes gazing upward at the benevolent face of the blessed Virgin Mary. Signed with the artist's signature emblem in the lower right corner, and hand signed in ink on the verso: "Mary of the Compassion or Constance Mary Rowe." This piece likely dates to the late 1950's. Approximately 7 1/2 x 18 1/4 inches. Good overall condition for age and storage, with some mild - moderate edge wear and paint loss along the corners of the painting (please see photos.) This is the best painting by this artist that has ever been publicly offered for sale. Acquired in Los Angeles County, California. If you like what you see, I encourage you to make an Offer. Please check out my other listings for more wonderful and unique artworks! About the Artist: Constance Mary Rowe Born: 1908Died: 1977Known for: Painting Constance Mary Rowe (1908 - 1977) was active/lived in United Kingdom, United States. Constance Rowe is known for Painting. Sister Mary of the Compassion (1908-1977), an artist formerly known as Constance Mary Rowe, studied at the Clapham School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London, and won the Prix de Rome in 1932 for mural painting. She entered the Community of the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary, also known as the Blue Chapel, in Union City, N.J. in 1938.While known primarily for her religious paintings, Sister Mary also designed and printed greetingand holy cards, and created silver and gold jewelry, mosaic reredos, embroidered panels, and costumes and sets for an opera performed by the Music Department of Hunter College, New York in the 1950s. One of her major works, a painting of a crucifixion scene showing Jesus Christ surrounded by Dominican saints, hangs in the refectory of the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. Her works, both religious and secular, were often sold to support the monastery. Sister Mary also wrote An Artist's Notebook, which was published in 1948, and illustrated a number of books. She died on December 6th, 1977. Sr Mary of the Compassion (Constance Dorothy Mary) Rowe Constance Mary Rowe, ARCA, in religion Sister Mary of the Compassion, OP, an extraordinarily talented artist with a wide range, was born in London to Victor Weston Rowe and Melfredine Josephine Fournier Kershaw.In 1923 Rowe began her studies at the Clapham School of Art in London, winning two scholarships. Later at the Royal College of Art she studied under William Rothenstein and Alfred Kingsley Lawrence. Rowe won the Edwin Abbey Scholarship in 1929 and became an Associate of the Royal College of Art in 1930.During the course of her studies, Rowe converted to Catholicism taking instructions at the Brompton Oratory. She was baptized at the Oratory on 8 September 1931 as Constance Dorothy Mary Rowe.In 1932 Rowe won the Prix de Rome (a major international prize) for mural painting. In addition to a cash award, the prize gave her a further two years' tuition in Rome.Looking for artistic opportunities, Rowe ventured to New York in 1935. While in the United States she began to discern a religious vocation. After visiting several religious communities, Rowe entered the Dominican Sisters of the Perpetual Rosary, Union City, New Jersey, in April 1937. Rowe made her religious profession in 1938.In the monastery Rowe was blessed with a prioress who recognized and encouraged her talent. Over forty years Rowe produced a range of high-quality artistic work, which included paintings, mosaics, vestments and other textiles, and in later life, jewelry. She also illustrated several books for New York publisher P J Kenedy & Sons, including The Holy Trinity Book of Prayers, Saints Westward and several children’s books. In 1957 Rowe made a unique foray into the theatre by designing the sets and costumes for three medieval plays at Hunter College.It is important to remember that Rowe matured artistically during a particularly fecund period of the Catholic Liturgical Movement. While one may argue that she was inspired by this or that master, the fact remains that she developed her own style and that it is instantly recognizable. Rowe's religious paintings in particular, are profoundly moving and take on the qualities of Eastern iconography.Rowe was a prolific writer, producing a book, An Artist's Notebook (Sower Press, 1948), as well as contributing articles and book reviews to Catholic periodicals such as Liturgical Arts Quarterly and Integrity Magazine.Rowe died at the age of 69 on 6 December 1977, just a week after an annual medical checkup gave her a clean bill of health.Rowe is listed in The American Catholic Who’s Who.Requiescat in pace! DOMINICAN ARTIST On the feast of the Holy Rosary, I posted a very modern, very lovely painting by an artist I had never heard of, but I think deserves mention. She was Sister Mary of the Compassion, a Dominican nun born Mary Constance Rowe in 1908. She was the daughter of Victor Weston Rowe, a Music Hall Artiste and Melfredine Josephine Fournier Rowe. She showed great promise as an artist and, after the Clapham School of Art, studied at the Royal College of Art in London and won the Prix de Rome in 1932 for mural painting. The prize money gave her two years of further study in Rome. While there became interested in the Catholic faith and later took instructions at the Brompton Oratory (The Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) and was baptized there on 8 September 1931 as Constance Dorothy Mary Rowe. In 1935, she traveled to New York only to find her way to Union City, a place where she would remain for the rest of her life. She entered the Community of the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary, also known as the Blue Chapel, in Union City, N.J. in 1938. Sister Mary worked in many media types including textile, mosaic, and clothing. Her paintings include use of watercolors, oil, and gold leaf on textures such as paper and wood. Echoing the style of Renaissance painters before her, Sister Mary painted portraits of the Madonna and important events such as Christ's removal from the cross. One of her major works was a painting of Dominican saints surrounding a crucified Christ. The life-size painting (8 by 4 feet) is currently housed at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. According to Sister Maria of the Cross of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary in Summit; Sister Mary was commissioned by the House of Studies during the '50s to paint an artwork there. The painting adorns the refectory of the house, regarded by some as the largest, most ambitious painting embarked on by Sister Mary. Pictures of hers were included in a 1939 New York exhibition of work by Catholic artists staged for the benefit of refugees who had arrived in the USA from Germany. Another of her ventures was the design of costumes and sets for an opera performed by the Music Department of Hunter College, New York. She also wrote a short book called “An Artist's Notebook”, in which she gave her thoughts on how art should be approached and how she approached it, offering occasional comments on the work of some artists. Sister Mary of the Compassion died in 1977 after a medical checkup a week prior deemed "nothing wrong" with her. She died at the age of 69. Rowe, Constance Dorothy Mary, 1908-1977 (British painter) Biography/Historical NotePainter, artist, illustrator. After her training at the Clapham School of Art, she studied at the Royal College of Art (1928-31). She won the Edwin Abbey Scholarship in 1929 and became an Associate of the Royal College of Art in 1930. She then studied in Rome, after winning the Prix de Rome in 1932. In 1935, Constance traveled to the United States and moved to Union City, where she joined the Dominican Sisters at the Blue Chapel in April 1937. She took on the name Sister Mary of the Compassion and dedicated to the religious profession, while continuing to produce artistic works, both religious and secular, which were often sold to support the Blue Chapel Monastery. Her work included paintings, mosaics, vestments and other textiles, and in later life, jewelry. She also illustrated several books.Nationality:English.Education:The Clapham School of Art, 1923-? and The Royal College of Art, 1928-1931.Role within the BSR:Rome Scholar in Painting, 1932-1933.

Price: 975 USD

Location: Orange, California

End Time: 2024-12-08T21:02:57.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD