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Primary sourcePhotographc. 1894-1895

Thérèse with Her Sisters and Mother Marie de Gonzague

Céline Martin · c. 1894-1895

A group photograph showing Thérèse with her sisters Céline and Pauline and the prioress Mother Marie de Gonzague at Carmel.

Shows Thérèse seated among her sisters and the prioress in the Carmel courtyard, reflecting her community life.

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Black and white photograph of five Carmelite nuns in dark veils and white wimples posed outdoors against a wall and plants. Two stand behind, three are seated in front, with the nun on the far right looking toward the camera.
Céline Martin, Nuns in the courtyard at Carmel of Lisieux, c. 1894-1895.

About this source

What it is

This photograph, taken between about 1894 and 1895 by Céline Martin, shows five Carmelite nuns posed in the courtyard at Carmel of Lisieux. Standing are Thérèse's sisters Céline and Pauline; seated are Mother Marie de Gonzague, their sister Marie, and Thérèse herself.

Why it matters

This image documents the unusual situation in which several sisters of one family entered the same convent and lived together under the authority of their prioress. It shows the community life Thérèse shared with her own family and the religious superior who guided it.

Look closer

  • What does it tell us that Thérèse's own sister took this photograph?
  • Why might so many sisters from one family have joined the same convent?
  • What does the formal pose suggest about how the group wanted to be remembered?

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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