A Portrait of St Gemma Galgani


A beautiful portrait of Saint Gemma

A friend in St Gemma named Lisa Thomas kindly agreed to share a beautiful portrait of Gemma that she drew in 1992. I reply to my question regarding what motivated her to make the drawing she wrote:

"I never heard of St. Gemma before I purchased the book by Ann Ball, "Modern Saints Their Lives and Faces". When I saw Gemma's picture on the cover I immediately fell in love with the celestial beauty of her countenance. I was taking some art classes at the time and wanted to learn to do portraits. I thought she would be the perfect subject since I wanted to capture as best I could the beauty of her eyes. Whoever said the eyes are the mirror of the soul knew what they were talking about. I don't believe I captured her features as perfectly as I would have liked , but I tried my best. What I did do was out of love and admiration for this gentle saint."

(*Note: click on the portrait twice to enlarge it)

-I would like to sincerely thank Lisa for sharing her drawing with us.

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'Yes, I love the Cross, the Cross alone, because I see it always on Thy shoulders. I see well, my Jesus, that all my love is for You and Your sufferings.'
'The Wounds of Jesus speak to me with such sweet violence that I should like . . . Oh my Jesus, I should like my heart to be possessed with but one desire, such as the saints had, that I might be able in some way to love Thee.' -St Gemma Galgani

4 comments:

Tristan Pacheco said...

I am drawn also to St. Gemma when I saw her on the same book's cover. :)

From then on, I searched for more information about her and fell in love with her and her holy life.

Glenn Dallaire said...

Hi Tristan,
Thanks for your comment.

To me Gemma's photos seems to radiate love, complete devotion, sacrifice and self-giving...one sees in her a complete giving of oneself to God, without limits...no half-measures. I see the love of God radiating from those eyes. That is what I see when I look at Gemma's photos, and she deeply inspires me.
And how many emails I receive about that photo and Gemma's penetrating eyes!

Thanks again for your message and may God bless you!
Glenn

Melissa Placido said...

I love it! So beautiful...

Unknown said...

I'm devoted to St gemma for along time now,,, when I go down the wrong path which happens to me,, she always pulls me back,,,I'm hopeful that with her help I'll be less of a sinner,, god bless the church and everyone

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