Small work for a great lady

The expression “within a hair’s breadth”, which means to come very close to something, takes on a fascinating meaning when it comes to a miniature portrait of Mother Marie-Rose by Polish artist Casimira Dabrowska, which can be admired during a visit to the Center.

Renowned for her work on the Vatican stamps, the miniaturist was asked by the SNJM sisters in Rome to create a portrait of the Blessed (now deceased) that would do her more justice than the one painted by Théophile Hamel when she was seriously ill (see separate text).

So, in order to produce an image that would be faithful to the luminous woman Marie-Rose was during her lifetime, Dabrowska used photos of Hamel’s canvas as a reference, a 4 x 6″ ivory surface, and a brush… with only one hair. And lots and lots of patience and precision.

The result was so convincing and successful that it was used to produce posters for Marie-Rose’s beatification in 1982.

A larger-than-life woman immortalized… in miniature.

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