Saint Rosalie in Glory
Anthony van Dyck·1624
Historical Context
Saint Rosalie in Glory (1624), in the Menil Collection in Houston, is another of Van Dyck's paintings of the Sicilian plague saint, produced during or shortly after his 1624 visit to plague-ravaged Palermo. The painting shows Rosalie borne heavenward by angels, her eyes raised in ecstatic communion with the divine — a vision of sanctity that combines baroque theatricality with genuine devotional feeling. Van Dyck's personal engagement with the Rosalie cult may have been intensified by his own brush with the plague during his time in Sicily. The Menil Collection, founded by John and Dominique de Menil in Houston, assembled an eclectic collection of art spanning many periods, with Baroque religious paintings representing one strand of their broad-ranging acquisitions.
Technical Analysis
The composition shows Rosalie ascending into heavenly glory, surrounded by angels and putti. Van Dyck's ethereal palette and delicate handling create an atmosphere of celestial radiance.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice Rosalie borne heavenward by angels, her eyes raised in ecstatic communion with the divine at the Menil Collection in Houston.
- ◆Look at the combination of Baroque theatricality with genuine devotional feeling.
- ◆Observe Van Dyck's personal engagement with the Rosalie cult possibly intensified by his own brush with the plague during his time in Sicily.
