Canonisation News Articles

National Portrait Gallery shows Mary

12 October, 2010

The National Portrait Gallery of Australia will recognise the Canonisation of the nation’s first declared Saint with a special display featuring a photograph of Mary MacKillop and drawings of Mary’s friend and benefactor Emmanuel Solomon.

Senior Curator at the NPG in Canberra, Mr Michael Desmond said the display would run through this week, from October 11 up to the Canonisation.

“We’re putting on display a portrait photo of Mary MacKillop taken in her later years, with two lovely 1844 drawings of Emmanuel Solomon and his wife Cecilia,” Mr Desmond said.

Emmanuel Solomon was a leading member of the Adelaide Jewish community who was of great assistance to Mary and her Sisters, following her excommunication, when she had nowhere to live and no means of support.

“The display tells a lovely story of Interfaith friendship from this period in Australian history,” Mr Desmond said.

The display will also feature works showing various members of the Australian Catholic hierarchy, including Bishop Shiel, the Bishop of Adelaide who excommunicated Mary.