lying in repose
Title of Art: St. Cecilia
Subjects: Cecilia
Ritual Pose/Object: Trinity pose
Artist: Stefano Maderno
Art Form: Sculpture
Date of Composition: 1599
Exhibit Institution: Monastero Benedettine S. Cecilia (Benedictine Monastery of S. Cecilia)
Exhibit Location: Trastevere, Rome, Italy
VM Image #: 0061
Photographer: Karen Fletcher Smith
Date of Photograph: December 27, 2022
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Stefano Maderno, a witness to the 1599 discovery of Cecilia's incorruptible body, created a breathtaking statue to depict the martyr. She is recumbant, knees bent, head downward, face cloaked by hair. The wound on her neck is visible, and her hands form the sign of the trinity.
This sculpture represents the mysterious life and death of Cecilia. The wound on her neck represents her martyrdom: her executioner struck her neck three times, leaving a gaping wound but not successfully beheading her. As such, the artist left the wound, reminding the onlookers of her resilience. Cecilia's fingers form the sign of the Trinity: her thumb touching her ring and pinky fingers, her index and middle fingers pointing outward. The three fingers touching signify "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," indicating her committment to her faith, even in the face of death.