From my Collection - 'Altered Angels' by Helen Sanderson

 

             One of my favourite books that I own is Altered Angels made in 2015 by Helen Sanderson.

         I was very excited to acquire it as a swap with Helen for one of my books.

         It consists of 8 altered postcards of Zurbaran paintings from the Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla.

    My interest in these Saints is not religious but in the beauty of the paintings.

          In her Artist's Statement Helen says she was in Seville visiting the Museo de Bellas 

            and at the time was unfamiliar with the painting of Francisco de Zurbaran (1598 - 1664) 

      but found his work wonderful and purchased these postcards from the gift shop.  

                

            "The ladies have all been altered with stamps from my husband's stamp collection.

                I quite like the idea of re-facing the faces.....most of the stamp faces are facing 

                  in the same direction as the original."           

         

          Helen told me that the original paintings were huge and I have read that they are life size.

         The martyred female saints in this book are from left to right, Santa Marina, Santa Catalina,

       Santa Barbara, Santa Ines, Santa Eulalia, Santa Matilde, Santa Engracia

         and Santa Dorotea.   A few of them are holding books, one a tray of fruit

         and roses, others a sword, a banner, a lamb, and one a heavy stake. 

 

                     I found Helen's book wonderful.  I knew of Zurbaran as a Spanish painter of 

                        religious subjects, mostly austere simple beautiful paintings of monks in their

                        simple robes emerging from plain black backgrounds - not the kind of subject

         I'd normally go for,  but I found the paintings gorgeous and I

      loved this simplicity in a baroque painting.  The contrast of the robes

                 and drapery against the background is striking and Zurbaran shows his

              mastery of 'tenebroso', a pronounced and dramatic chiaroscuro effect.

 

        In 1629 Zurbaran was appointed painter to Philip IV in Seville and it was during this time 

     between 1640-1650 that he painted the large series of female saints, mostly martyrs.

 

These paintings of female saints are intriguing. 

            They also use the same composition of a figure emerging from a dark background 

         that Zurbaran used in other religious paintings of monks.  

     The painting of the plain silk drapery is beautifully simple and the 

           patterned fabrics seem to be painted with a kind of restraint.

          

       The stamps Helen used to reface the figures are from eight

              different countries featuring black, white and Asian women making them universal.

         

           I particularly like the way Helen has chosen to leave long threads as part of the 

                binding on the front of the book rather than hiding them at the back.  I think it

               works extremely well visually and reminds me of the sewing together of

         pieces of fabric to make these wonderful garments.

 It seems unusual to see martyred female saints, some of whom died in the most

 horrific circumstances dressed in these expensive and sumptuous outfits.

We've become accustomed to realism and the depiction of suffering.

           I'm so pleased Zurbaran chose beauty. 

You can view a copy of  Helen's book in the State Library of Queensland.