Sister Mary of the Compassion [Constance Mary Rowe] Collection
Scope and Content Note
This collection documents some of the work of the artist Sister Mary of the Compassion, formerly known as Constance Mary Rowe. While most of the material in the collection is not dated, the holy cards and greeting cards were most likely made by Sister Mary during the 1960s and 1970s. The collection also contains photocopies of clippings dating from 1936 to 2011. Document types include greeting cards, holy cards, photographs, postcards and clippings.
The bulk of the collection is formed by holy cards and greeting cards that were designed and made by Sister Mary. Some have her artist's mark printed on the back, along with the Blue Chapel's designation. The cards appear to have been printed using a relief process, most often in one or two colors, although some of the greeting cards were printed in three or four colors. The photographs and postcards depict seven of Sister Mary's oil paintings; all but one of the images are black and white. The art work in this collection portrays religious subjects, including saints, the crucifixion, and nativity scenes.
The collection also contains clippings with biographical information and descriptions of Sister Mary's work, as well as her memorial prayer card.
The material in this collection was gathered by Clifford J. Brooks.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1959-1970s
Creator
- Mary of the Compassion, 1908-1977 (Person)
Access Restrictions
These records are open for research under the conditions of The Frick Collection/Frick Art Reference Library Archives access policy. Contact the Archives Department for further information at archives@frick.org.
Biographical Note
Sister Mary of the Compassion (1908-1977), an artist formerly known as Constance Mary Rowe, studied at the Clapham School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London, and won the Prix de Rome in 1932 for mural painting. She entered the Community of the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary, also known as the Blue Chapel, in Union City, N.J. in 1938.
While known primarily for her religious paintings, Sister Mary also designed and printed greeting and holy cards, and created silver and gold jewelry, mosaic reredos, embroidered panels, and costumes and sets for an opera performed by the Music Department of Hunter College, New York in the 1950s. One of her major works, a painting of a crucifixion scene showing Jesus Christ surrounded by Dominican saints, hangs in the refectory of the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. Her works, both religious and secular, were often sold to support the monastery. Sister Mary also wrote An Artist's Notebook, which was published in 1948, and illustrated a number of books. She died on December 6th, 1977.
Extent
0.21 Linear feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The artist Sister Mary of the Compassion (1908-1977), formerly known as Constance Mary Rowe, created works in a wide range of media, including paintings, book illustrations, greeting and holy cards, silver and gold jewelry, mosaic reredos, and embroidered panels. Her works, both religious and secular, were often sold to support the Blue Chapel monastery, a Community of the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary in Union City, N.J. The collection contains holy cards and greeting cards made by Sister Mary, photographs and postcards of her paintings, and clippings containing biographical information.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically.
Provenance
Gift of Clifford J. Brooks, 2011.
Bibliography
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister. An Artist's Notebook. Union City, N.J.: Dominican Sisters of the Perpetual Rosary, 1960.
- Religious Art: Paintings by Sister Mary of the Compassion, OP. [Memphis, TN: Brooks Memorial Art Gallery, 1953].
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister. "Idea" in Liturgical Arts, August 1946, Vol. 14, pages 78-81.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. Saints Westward; Some Colorful and Heroic Men and Women Who Planted and Watered the Seed of Faith in the Western Hemisphere. By Donald Attwater. New York: P.J. Kennedy, 1953.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. The Story of Margaret of Metola. By William R. Bonniwell. New York: Kenedy, 1952.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. Mary Co-Redemptrix: The Sorrows of the Virgin and Her Work in Redemption: A Book of Meditations. By Ildebrando M. Calvanimand M. Damian Charboneau. [Chicago?]: Stabat Mater Press, 1956.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. The Dominican Vocation: The Order of Preachers. By Don Aquinas Farren and Celestine Ryan. New York: Dominican Director of Vocations, 1961.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. Dominican Spirituality: Principles and Practice. By William A. Hinnebusch. [Washington D.C.]: Thomist Press, 1965.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. The Holy Trinity Book of Prayers: A Spiritual Treasury Drawn from Sacred Scripture, the Liturgies, the Writings of the Saints, and Other Sources. By John Kenneth Ryan. New York: P.J. Kenedy, 1952.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. Northern Lights: The Story of Saint Hyacinth of Poland and his Companions. By Mary Fabyan Windeatt. New York: Sheed & Ward, 1945.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. Saint John Masias: Marvelous Dominican Gatekeeper of Lima, Peru. By Mary Fabyan Windeatt. Rockford, Ill.: Tan Books and Publishers, 1944.
- Mary of the Compassion, Sister, illus. Warrior in White: The Story of Blessed John Masias. By Mary Fabyan Windeatt. New York: Sheed & Ward, 1944.
Subject
- Dominican Sisters of the Perpetual Rosary (Organization)
- Mary of the Compassion, 1908-1977 (Person)
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Sister Mary of the Compassion [Constance Mary Rowe] Collection, circa 1959-1970s MS.039
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Finding aid prepared by Susan Chore, 2012.
- Date
- © 2012 The Frick Collection. All rights reserved.
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Frick Collection Archives Repository
