Madonna Of The Rose by Ilene Satala

The idea for this painting actually started with my plans to take a trip to Paris. I had never been to Paris before, and I was doing research by watching travel DVD’s to help decide what to see on my visit. One afternoon I was watching a film that took travelers to a tiny country called Alsace on the borders of France. I immediately perked up because this was where my great, great grandmother was from.

As the travel log continued, the host went into a Gothic church called Equalis Des Dominican. He proceeded down the aisle of the church until he reached a beautiful Triptych altar piece of a painting

called The Madonna of the Rose Bush.

I realized that this altar piece had been created in 1473 and that my grandmother, who was Catholic, would have seen it. Suddenly I was connected to a woman I had never known. It was a thrilling feeling, and what made it more powerful was that I had been seeing in my meditation an image of the Madonna “as” a rose.

This masterpiece by Martin Schongauer was strangely familiar, although I had never seen it before. I felt connected to my past in a wonderful link through a painting.

In researching about the symbolism of the rose, I learned that the Madonna is often referred to as “The Rose." Her incense and perfumes are associated with roses, because the scent of the rose is

transcendent and puts us in touch with our own soul.

I began a painting in celebration of all I had learned. My intention was to create a work that had the feeling of serenity, peace and other worldliness.

(Conrad - Over the years Ilene painted several variations of the Rose Madonna. This painting was the first of several of these paintings. Ilene didn’t share this image with many people and it eventually emerged into a more elaborate painting reflecting Ilene’s interpretation. This is the first public viewing of this painting.)

There is a European tradition of painting the Virgin Mary as a rose. The Rose is considered her symbol of depicting beauty and purity of heart.
The rose is red for vitality and shaded with pink for love and compassion.
Her image is depicted as being in full bloom. Showing us that her spirit lives through the ages as a timeless reminder of the link to the power of love ever fresh ever growing.

She reminds us we are full of the seeds of possibilities. She guides us calmly through our troubles in the world and shows us our way into the realm of Wisdom. A living embodiment of wisdom lives in her and is gifted to us. She is the eternal rose of hope, love and grace.