The theme of the Virgin of Sorrows in painting from its first manifestations till the early twentieth century

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to present a comprehensive study of the development of the theme of the Virgin of Sorrows in painting from its first manifestations till the early twentieth century in Malta. The study is concerned with giving a stylistic analysis of a selection of the painting sited in the churches and other public collections. A publication that was relevant in the study of this theme is the chapter entitled 'The Pieta' and the Virgin of Sorrows', in Marian Devotions in the Islands of St Paul (1600 - 1800) published in 1983. This publication was of great help in introducing the theme of the Virgin of Sorrows in the local context. For a more general overview of the development of the iconography of the theme till the sixteenth century in Europe, I relied on the Iconography of Christian Art by Gertrud Schiller, published in 1972. Other numerous publications were helpful in learning further information regarding particular paintings included within this study. The suggested authorship of a number of paintings reflects evidence collected from secondary sources and stylistic analysis. The guidance from my tutor, Dr Keith Sciberras, was also valuable in this respect. A number of works, however, remain unattributed. An important aspect in the study of this theme was the first hand research in the churches of Malta and Gozo. Photos of the representations of this theme have been taken wherever possible. These will be useful for further research, and as a form of documentation of the location of paintings during the span of research time for this study.