Saint Cecilia

Saint Cecilia, Stefano Maderno, 1600. Saint Cecilia in Trastevere., Rome, Italy.

Questions

-What is your first reactions to this statue?

-How does this differ from how Saint Cecilia is usually depicted?

-Why do you think the artist chose to display the saint like this, rather than a more common way to show them alive or as a portrait?

Reflection

There is something so intimate about this sculpture. The intimacy that is familiar, close, private and personal. I think that this comes from it being a sculpture of Saint Cecilia after she has died. I not been to many funerals, so when I have gone I have to prepare myself deeply beforehand. You can feel it in the air, especially at the visitation, the closeness between life and death, heaven and earth. There is a bit of the veil that is undone when you are in the presence of the dead. There is an intimacy to it. This person's body is in front of you, but their soul is not within them. You immediately get more quiet, slow and still. Intimacy of this level requires a personal and private experience between you and the dead. Even if you did not know the person well, there is a moment of familiarity and closeness as you recognize your own mortality. This is the feeling that I get when I gaze upon this beautiful sculpture of Saint Cecilia and must have been the feeling of the sculptor Stefano Maderno when he actually saw the body of Saint Cecilia.

The body of Saint Cecilia was found in the catacombs of Rome in the 4th century. She is known She was promptly moved to a church in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome, where her tomb was sealed until 1599. That year, they opened the tomb and found that Cecilia was uncorrupt and her body was fully intake. Pope Clement VI quickly invited Stefano Maderno to view this beautiful saint in order to create a sculpture inspired and based on this miracle. He chose to sculpt the saint exactly as she was found and in a very detailed likeness. She is laying head down, with a veil over her face, knees together, and up on her side. The axe mark on her neck from the blow that made her a martyr can be clearly seen. The realism and simplicity of this sculpture stirs up deep emotions with the viewer and there is no wondering what the experience of seeing the uncorrupt body would have been like.

Saint Cecilia is widely known as the patron saint of music and musicians. She lived in the 3rd century, known for her own love and giftedness with instruments and singing. Most depictions of her show her playing an instrument or connected with something musical. This sculpture is quite different - reminding us that she was a martyr.

The stark white stone makes you stop and notice every detail deeply. The reality that she was martyred with an axe can be clearly seen with the cut on her neck. The veil on her face was never disturbed or removed by those who uncovered her tomb. There was an unwillingness to disturb her and instead chose to respect her body, even though she had died a long time ago. Looking at the sculpture there is this impulse to be close to her, to know her but not wanting to interrupt her eternal rest. The lived belief of the Catholic Church that we will one day be reunited body and soul in heaven is kept in heightened importance here, especially in the fact that she was incorrupt. We are a body and soul composite - we need both of them to be fully us. Our bodies are incredibly important and must be respected, even when the soul is separated from the body in death.

The death of Saint Cecilia is said to be long and drawn out - she was struck three times with an axe to the neck but it took her three days to die. Her three days of agony cannot be seen here, only the peace that she experiences in death and unification with God in heaven. The symbolism of three is important to our faith especially in connection with Christ's three days in the tomb between his death and resurrection. Just as Jesus was awaiting His resurrection from the dead, Cecilia is waiting for her body to rise and connect with her body in full unification in heaven. This sculpture is right under the high altar of the church, which reminds us of the sacrifice of the Lord that takes places on the altar at every mass. But in every death and sacrifice there is the resurrection - the Lord is made present body and blood in the Eucharist. The lifting up of the chalice and Eucharist reminds us of the power of Christ and how He wishes to lift us up along with Him.

Information

Stefano Maderno is the sculptor of this piece of Saint Cecilia. He is known as one of the leading Italian sculptors that made the move from Mannerism sculpture to the Baroque style. Mannerism was a style between Renaissance and Baroque, where exaggerated forms and accentuated mannerisms were used. There was much more focus on artistic style as well as elegance of the overall piece. Mannerism was a chance for artists to show their technical skill and ability, making complex and detailed compositions. You can see in this sculpture it is seemingly very simple, not overly complex but instead dived deeply into emotionally dramatic qualities, with an emphasis on realism. Maderno did a wonderful job moving into this Baroque style, which eventually led to the rise of Bernini, who may be the most well-known Italian sculptor of this time. Maderno's mostly unknown nature could be due to the fact that very little of his work survives today. Saint Cecilia is his most well known and one of the only pieces that survives by him.

At the time of sculpting this piece, Maderno was only twenty-three years old and was mostly focused on restoring antiques. This is thought to be part of the reason why he was chosen to come see Saint Cecilia's body, so that he would focus more on what he was actually seeing rather than making it artistic or idealized version of the saint. The reality of a martyr's death can be ugly, but Maderno portrays it in her beautiful vulnerability in a way that is simple, straightforward and real. The Latin inscription on the front of the sculpture reads "Gaze upon the likeness of the most holy virgin Cecilia, / which I saw myself lying in an entire state in the sepulcher. / I have had this same likeness, precisely in the same position her body lay, / expressed for you in marble." Which just reminds us of the intent and desire of the patron and sculptor.

Maderno was taught the art of sculpting by his uncle in Rome, who owned a workshop. His placement in Rome allowed him to encounter several great sculptors who came before him such as Donatello and Michelangelo. The power and influence of Italian artists cannot be understated. There is a reason why so many are household known names (and also names of turtles on television shows). Rome being the heart of the Catholic Church allowed for several artists to be connected with well-off families who could continue to commission these great pieces. Several art styles such as the Renaissance and Baroque art heavily involved the church because of the amount of care, money, influence and need that people had at the time. It is a great gift of the Catholic faith to have such a rich artistic history, and something to take note of. The Church today still has an opportunity to invest in the artistic tradition whether it be commissioning art from Catholic artists, beautifying churches through building new architecture or modifying existing structures, or speaking more on the importance of beauty in our faith.

More Questions

-How comfortable are you with the idea of death? How does the martyrs force us to look closer and think more deeply about death?

-Do you see Saint Cecilia differently now? How so?

-In what ways can you continue and partake in the Catholic artistic tradition?

Let us pray -

Lord, thank you for the example of saints who have courageously died for our faith. The saints constantly surprise us, with deeply beautiful and powerful stories that many do not know. May we be inspired by Saint Cecilia to lay down our lives and suffer for you. I desire to unite myself in your suffering and acceptance of my struggles, even if and when it leads me to my bodily death. Help us to find peace in the death that occurs around us and may we be better prepared for our deaths. Provide us hope for your second coming, that our body and souls may be united in heaven with you.

Saint Cecilia, pray for us!

Amen.