The following is a description, by artist Danielle Hicks-Gallagher, detailing how she discovered what is thought to be an original portrait of our Foundress, Catherine McAuley

“When I was asked to be a part of the team bringing Sr. M. Clare Augustine Moore’s manuscripts into the digital sphere, I immediately said yes, with no real thought for the practicalities, or what the work might entail. It was simply for the joy and inspiration of being able to spend time with these beautiful pieces of art. I also had little idea of how, in the silence of the Heritage Office, the illuminated manuscripts would whisper stories of their creator to me. I certainly did not expect the gift of discovering a portrait of our dear Catherine McAuley, by the hand of one who knew and loved her.

The manuscripts were digitally photographed by David Knight and someone was needed to study each page and pick out key words relating to the visual and written content. These keywords will then be combined with the photos, to make a searchable digital archive, of all of Clare Augustine’s illuminated artworks. Writing the keywords was where I came in. At first, I focused on the two versions of the Register of Profession, and in these, one can find numerous Saints, some of whom look quite specific in features, as well as some figures who may, or may not, be based on people whom ‘the Artist’ knew. However, without recourse to other portraits or written descriptions, it is near impossible to determine if her illustrations had basis in reality. Nonetheless, those pages told their own stories – the material choices that Clare Augustine made; the specific details she included; and the utmost warmth in the care given to some pages over others… When taken hand in hand with the known characteristics of their creator, these become quite suggestive as to her personality and, potentially, her knowledge of, and affection for, particular Sisters.

The real discovery of interest, however, came when I moved on to the illuminated Rule and Constitution of the Religious Sisters of Mercy………”

 

Congregation