Raphael’s Sistine Madonna (~1512). Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

On Aug. 11, at 10:30 a.m., the Unitarian Universalist Church of North Hatley will host a special lecture by esteemed local art historian Adele Ernstrom. Ernstrom, a retired Fine Arts professor from Bishop’s University and a member of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Sherbrooke & District, will present her insights on “Raphael’s Sistine Madonna: Art and Prophecy in the 19th Century.”

Ernstrom, who founded the Department of Fine Arts at Bishop’s University in the late 1970s, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this presentation. Her primary field of study has been 19th-century English art, but she has developed a profound appreciation for the Renaissance, especially the works of Raphael.

In an interview with the Record July 22, Ernstrom shared her excitement about discussing Raphael’s iconic painting. “Raphael was always highly respected and had an enormous reputation, but the Sistine Madonna, commissioned for a church in Piacenza, was initially rather obscure,” she explained. “People who wanted to see art on the continent, particularly the English nobility, typically went to Florence, Rome, or Venice, rather than this out-of-the-way monastery church.”

The painting’s journey to fame began when Augustus III, King of Poland, acquired it for his gallery in Dresden. “This acquisition was a prize for his gallery in Dresden, which, at the time, was a princely gallery in what is now East Germany,” Ernstrom noted. “It became a prime attraction there, especially at the end of the 18th century when the Romantic Circle, including figures like the Schlegel brothers and Friedrich Schelling, began to take an interest in it.”

Ernstrom highlighted how the Romantic Circle’s interest in fine art brought attention to Raphael’s painting. “This group considered knowledge of fine art crucial, and they drew attention to the Sistine Madonna within the German-speaking lands,” she said. “However, it remained relatively unknown among English-speaking audiences because few ventured into that part of Europe, and even fewer spoke German.”

The painting began to gain recognition in the English-speaking world thanks to a few key individuals, including an Anglo-Irish woman who became a close friend of Ottilie von Goethe. “She was a passionate admirer of Raphael and wrote about the painting in her book ‘Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad,’ which went through three editions in the 1830s,” Ernstrom explained. “This drew significant attention to the painting in English-speaking parts of the world.”

Ernstrom also discussed the broader cultural impact of the Sistine Madonna. “The painting was admired by people of many different religious persuasions,” she said. “Most of the names I could cite are not Roman Catholic; they are Church of England or other Protestant denominations. The painting’s remarkable qualities and the depiction of the Virgin as an active, standing figure resonated widely.”

The lecture will explore the painting’s significance in both religious and cultural contexts. “[Anna] Jameson’s book, ‘Legends of Madonna,’ was the first extensive exploration of the Madonna’s imagery in Western art,” Ernstrom mentioned. “She looked at traditions in all pre-Christian faiths and noted how the Christian Madonna was indebted to these earlier traditions. This was something the Catholic Church was not particularly comfortable with, especially during a period of intense religious ferment.”

Ernstrom pointed out that the 19th century was a time of significant religious and social movements. “We had pronouncements by the Pope on the Immaculate Conception and the infallibility of the Pope,” she said. “There were also movements like utopian socialism and the cooperative movement. The Madonna was very much engaged in these religious movements.”

She emphasized the painting’s impact on the women’s suffrage movement. “In the imagery of the women’s suffrage movement, we often find a modern woman in contemporary dress paired with a Madonna figure, linking the claims of the suffragists to the idea that women are mothers,” Ernstrom explained. “This imagery was a constant in posters and other materials generated by suffragettes during their long campaign to win the vote.”

Ernstrom shared examples of the Sistine Madonna’s influence on various literary and cultural figures. “Harriet Beecher Stowe in ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ portrays Eliza, the slave mother, in terms informed by her acquaintance with Jameson’s writings about the Madonna,” she said. “Eliza’s escape across the Ohio River with her child echoes the themes of maternal protection and strength depicted in the Sistine Madonna.”

She also mentioned Angelina Grimké’s play, which was the first play produced by an African-American writer. “The play features a woman who has a reproduction of the Sistine Madonna in her apartment,” Ernstrom noted. “This image becomes a symbol of hope and resilience, even in the face of the horrors of lynching.”

Ernstrom concluded by discussing the painting’s enduring legacy. “The Sistine Madonna continues to be a powerful and compelling image,” she said. “Its richness of interpretation allows it to resonate across different contexts and periods. The presentation of the Madonna as an active figure arriving from heaven, holding the Christ child, remains a unique and influential depiction.”

Local residents and art enthusiasts are encouraged to attend and learn more at this insightful lecture. “We are so fortunate to have so many talented and interesting women in our group,” a CFUW Sherbrooke & District representative commented on Facebook July 21, expressing gratitude for Ernstrom’s contributions to the community.

For those interested in art history and the profound connections between Renaissance art and 19th-century cultural movements, Adele Ernstrom’s lecture promises to be a captivating and informative event.