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Primary sourcePhotographpre-1881

Thérèse Aged Eight with Sister Céline

Unknown · pre-1881

A childhood photograph of Thérèse Martin as a girl of eight with her sister Céline, taken before the family's move.

Shows Thérèse as a young child with her sister, a rare primary image from before her religious life.

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Black-and-white photograph of a young girl with curly hair pulled back, wearing a dark dress with white lace trim and ruffled collar, hands clasped at her waist holding a braided cord. Another person's hand rests on her shoulder from behind, and a partial figure in a light dress appears at the left edge.
Unknown photographer, Thérèse Martin aged eight with sister Céline, pre-1881.

About this source

What it is

This is a black-and-white photograph showing Thérèse Martin, aged eight, with her sister Céline. It was taken before 1881, while Thérèse was still a child in her family home.

Why it matters

This image gives a rare glimpse of Thérèse before she became known as a nun and later a saint. It shows her as an ordinary child, close to her sister Céline, who would also later enter religious life. Family photographs like this were uncommon at the time and help historians picture her early years.

Look closer

  • What clues in the clothing and pose tell you this is a formal, posed photograph rather than a casual snapshot?
  • Why might this photograph have been kept and later treasured by Thérèse's family?
  • What does the image NOT tell you about her childhood?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Therese on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Front cover of a French book titled 'Sainte Thérèse de l'Enfant-Jésus' in ornate Art Nouveau style with floral borders, a star at top, an oval illustration of saints and an angel, a quotation, and Latin motto banners at the bottom.Book

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The Story of a Soul

Thérèse of Lisieux · 1898

Document

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Act of Oblation to Merciful Love

Thérèse of Lisieux · 9 June 1895

Black and white photograph of a young woman in a dark religious veil and white collar, with a calm, slight smile, looking toward the camera. Her face fills most of the frame.Photograph

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Portrait of Thérèse of Lisieux

15 April 1895

Black and white photograph of a young woman in a pale armored-style bodice and dark fleur-de-lis-decorated skirt, holding a sword, standing beside a banner pole in front of a brick wall and ivy, with a shield bearing fleurs-de-lis and a wreath at her feet.Photograph

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Photograph of Thérèse as Joan of Arc

Céline Martin (Sister Geneviève) · 1895

Photograph of a book cover with a marbled brown and tan speckled paper binding and a beige cloth spine, with blue flecks. A small library credit in the lower right reads Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France. The cover appears worn at the edges.Book

Primary source

Histoire d'une âme, first edition (1898)

Thérèse of Lisieux, ed. Pauline Martin (Mother Agnes of Jesus) · 30 September 1898

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