Jed Gibbons, Maria, Mater Misericordiae

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Our first featured work is Maria, Mater Misericordiae, an illuminated miniature by Jed Gibbons.  The work, which measures 6 ¾ by 9 ¼ inches, was commissioned by the Religious Sisters of Alma, a religious order founded by the venerable Catherine McAudley and devoted to reflecting God’s mercy to the poor, the sick, and the ignorant.

Though the work is small, it is richly packed with meaning—both universal to the Church and particular for the order—which the artist grasped and portrayed clearly.  He explains:

“Here the misery of man converges with the mercy of God, and the cross of Jesus, the true high priest, becomes God’s throne of grace and mercy, and from each side of the throne, various manifestations of His mercy issue forth:

“On the right, Mary, the Mother of Mercy, stands at the foot of the cross and intercedes for all while encouraging a way to obtain the necessary help and grace.  Her glance and bodily gesture welcomes and insists that the viewer keep their eyes fixed on Christ, as she extends her mantle to all.

“To the left of the throne, her other hand is cupped as a chalice collecting from the open side of her Son the blood and water of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, source of universal redemption, while the Sacramental Church just below her hand is born from the side of Christ.  The theme of a mother welcoming her children into the Church continues on this side of the Throne of Grace with Bernini’s architectural vision, in which the square of St. Peter’s Basilica forms a human embrace.  Just as Mary extends her mantle to all on the right, the Church extends its arms to all on the left, and through design and symbolic use of gold, these two separate images combine to form a single cohesive image of God’s mantle of mercy through the all-embracing Church under the outstretched arms of Christ with Mary as socia Christi.  Her mantle and the all-embracing Church extend beyond the borders of the miniature, symbolizing the wideness of God’s mercy.

“Mary, Mother of Mercy is arrayed in the highest, symbolic expression of color: blue and gold; blue, symbolizing the majesty of the sky and the celestial firmament; gold, as she is the True Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant.  The sparkling, gold, illuminated square of St. Peter’s Basilica references “the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God,” with “the street of the city being pure gold…”

“Above the cross—the victory of love and mercy—is the moment of glorification of the Father, mediated by the Son, through the love of the Holy Spirit.

“The charism given by the Holy Spirit to the venerable Catherine McAudley is the manifestation of the mercy of God in the Church.  At the foot of the cross, the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma are established as a point of convergence for the mercy of God and the misery of man as they perform spiritual and corporal works of mercy for the poor, the sick, and the ignorant within the Mystical Body of Christ.  Mother Catherine maintained that the charsim of the Religious Family of Mercy was encapsulated in devotion to the Passion of Christ where, from under the cross, she looks down the halls of time to see her vibrant Order of Sisters in various stages of formation, and how they continue to manifest the mercy of God, which is from generation unto generation.”

Jed Gibbons, Maria, Mater Misericordiae, dry ground historic pigments and 23kt powder gold on Wyndstone parchment, 6.75”x9.25”, 2006.

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pictured above from left to right: Carol Castor, The Green Jesus; James Langley, Workshop Cartoon: Study for center panal of triptych; James Langley, Emmaus after Carravaggio; Jedd Gibbons, Maria, Mater Misericordiae; Marie Winn, The Eucharist.

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