November 15, 1877 - May 13, 1883
Arrival in Lisieux
Arrival by train in Lisieux
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot
The family gets out of the carriage that brought them from the station to Les Buissonnets
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot
Arrival of the family at Les Buissonnets
Wash drawing by Charles Jouvenot.
We have two draft fragments for Mr. Martin and Therese.
"I felt no sorrow when I left Alençon, children like change and it was with pleasure that I came to Lisieux".
Ms A 13 v°
Everyday life
Evening prayer at Les Buissonnets
Unpublished wash
The family on a walk ; in the background the cathedral
Unpublished draft.
Country walk
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot
Vigil at Les Buissonnets
Charcoal by Pierre-Léon-Adolphe Annould
Prayer in Carmel
Prayer in Carmel
Wash drawing by Charles Jouvenot.
Un draft copy is retained.
Two other fragments of drafts preserved show Mr. Martin pointing out the gate of the Carmelites to his daughter.
“Every afternoon, I went for a short walk with Papa; we made our visit to the Blessed Sacrament together, visiting a new church each day, and that is how I entered the chapel of the Carmel, Dad showed me the choir gate, telling me that behind were nuns. I was far from suspecting that nine years later I would be among them!..."
Ms A 14 r°
Fishing with Dad
Fishing with Dad
Wash drawing by Sister Marie of the Holy Spirit, Carmelite of Lisieux.
"They were good days for me, those when my darling king took me fishing with him, I loved the countryside, the flowers and the birds so much! Sometimes I tried to fish with my little line, but I preferred going to sit alone on the flowering grass, then my thoughts were very deep and without knowing what it was to meditate, my soul was immersed in a real prayer... I listened to distant sounds... The murmur the wind and even the indecisive music of the soldiers whose sound reached me gently melancholy my heart The earth seemed to me a place of exile and I dreamed of Heaven... The afternoon passed quickly, soon we had to return Les Buissonnets, but before leaving I took the snack I had brought in my little basket; the beautiful slice of jam you had prepared for me had changed in appearance: instead of its bright color I could only see a slight pink tint, all aged and tucked in... so the earth seemed to me even more and I understood that in Heaven only joy would be cloudless..."
Ms A 14 v°
Therese helping the poor
Thérèse helping the poor at the gate of Les Buissonnets
Wash drawing by Charles Jouvenot.
We kept a draft copy.
Thérèse caring for the poor
late watercolor
Thérèse caring for the poor
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot
Thérèse caring for the poor
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot (version not retained)
The denial of the poor
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot
The denial of the poor
Draft not retained
"During the walks I took with papa, he liked to make me bring alms to the poor we met; one day we saw one who dragged himself painfully on crutches, I approached to give him a penny, but not finding himself poor enough to receive alms, he looked at me with a sad smile and refused to take what I offered him I cannot say what passed in my heart, I would have liked to console him, relieve him; instead I thought I had hurt him, no doubt the poor patient guessed my thought, for I saw him turn away and smile at me. Papa had just bought me a cake, I really wanted to give it to him. but I did not dare, however I wanted to give him something that he could not refuse me, because I felt a very great sympathy for him, so I remembered having heard that on the day of the first communion one obtains everything asked; this thought consoled me, and although I was still only ix years, I say to myself: “I will pray for my poor on the day of my first communion.” I kept my promise five years later and I hope that the Good Lord granted the prayer He had inspired me to address to Him for one of his suffering members..."
Ms A 15 r°
Thérèse throwing flowers to the Blessed Sacrament
Thérèse throwing flowers to the Blessed Sacrament during the Corpus Christi procession
Painting of Dewinter retouched by Sister Marie of the Holy Spirit, Carmelite of Lisieux - 73 x 54 cm. We have a draft fragment for the character of Therese.
The Discovery of Orion
Thérèse discovers the T of her name inscribed in the constellation of Orion
Painting (grisaille) by Blanchard retouched by Céline - 73 x 54 cm. We have kept a draft copy.
The Discovery of Orion
Lavis
The Discovery of Orion
late watercolor
"I looked at the stars twinkling softly and this sight thrilled me... There was especially a group of golden pearls which I noticed with joy finding that it was in the shape of a T (here is approximately its shape T), I showed it to Papa by telling him that my name was written in Heaven..."
Ms A 18 r°
The distribution of prizes
Louis Martin presents his prizes to Thérèse
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot
Thérèse and Pauline in Trouville
Wash drawing by Charles Jouvenot.
"In the evening, at a time when the sun seems to bathe in the immensity of the waves leaving a luminous furrow in front of it, I went to sit alone on a rock with Pauline... Then I remembered the touching story "A golden furrow!..." For a long time I contemplated this luminous furrow, the image of grace illuminating the path that the little vessel with its graceful white sail must travel... Near Pauline, I took the resolution never to take my soul away from the gaze of Jesus, so that it may sail in peace towards the Fatherland of Heaven!..."
Ms A 22 r°
Therese at the Abbey
Therese at the Abbey
Thérèse discoursing among the students in the courtyard of theAbbey.
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot
Therese in a schoolgirl outfit
Charcoal by Céline Martin
At catechism at the Benedictine Abbey
Unpublished draft
The catechism was provided by theFather Domin, chaplain of the Abbey that can be seen to the left of Thérèse.
Ask Monsignor Hugonin
Wash drawing by Charles Jouvenot
"Thérèse made her first communion on May 8, 1884, at 11 years and 4 months. She suffered greatly from the waiting imposed on her; she could not understand this law, which seemed to her so severe, of being delayed for a year, because she was born, she said, two days too late.
One day we met Monsignor Hugonin, who was going to the station: “Oh! Marie - she said do you want me to run and ask her permission to make my first communion?» I had a hard time holding her back."
Testimony of Mary of the Sacred Heart at the Ordinary Trial (14th request)
Thérèse hermit with Marie Guérin
Thérèse hermit with Marie Guérin
Wash drawing by Charles Jouvenot
Thérèse hermit with Marie Guérin
late watercolor
"The only thing I liked was going to the Jardin de l'Etoile, so I was the first everywhere, picking the flowers in abundance and knowing how to find the prettiest ones, I excited the envy of my little companions. .. What I still liked was when by chance I was alone with little Marie, no longer having Céline Maudelonde to train her in ordinary games, she left me free to choose and I chose a game of my own. something new. Marie and Thérèse became two solitaries having only a poor cabin, a small field of wheat and a few vegetables to cultivate. Their life was spent in continual contemplation, that is to say that one of the solitaries replaced the other in prayer when active life had to be taken care of. Everything was done with such religious understanding, silence and manners that it was perfect."
Ms A 23 r°
Pauline's habit
Pauline took the habit on April 6, 1883. Thérèse could kiss her in the visiting room.
Late watercolour, project not retained.
Thérèse and Pauline in the visiting room
Drawing by Charles Jouvenot
The smile of the Virgin
Healing of Therese
Painting of Sister Marie of the Holy Spirit Carmelite of Lisieux - 81 x 54 cm (from a Annould's wash).
"I would have liked to be able to tell him that I was cured, but I had already given him enough false joy, it was not my wishes that could work a miracle, because one needed one to cure me... He a miracle was needed and it was Our Lady of Victories who did it. One Sunday (during the novena of masses), Marie went out into the garden leaving me with Léonie who was reading by the window, after a few minutes I began to almost softly: "Mama... Mama..." Léonie, being used to always hearing me called like that, paid no attention to me. This lasted a long time, so I called louder and finally Marie came back, I I saw her enter perfectly, but I couldn't say that I recognized her and I continued to call ever louder: "Mama..." I suffered a lot from this forced and inexplicable struggle and Marie suffered perhaps even more than me; after vain efforts to show me that she was with me, she knelt down beside my it with Léonie and Céline, then turning to the Blessed Virgin and praying to her with the fervor of a Mother asking for the life of her child, Marie obtained what she wanted... Finding no help on earth, the poor little Thérèse had also turned to her Heavenly Mother, she begged her with all her heart to finally have pity on her... Suddenly the Blessed Virgin seemed beautiful to me, so beautiful that I never had anything Seen so beautiful, her face breathed an ineffable goodness and tenderness, but what penetrated me to the bottom of my soul was the “ravishing smile of the Blessed Virgin”. Then all my sorrows vanished, two big tears sprang from my eyelids and flowed silently on my cheeks, but they were tears of unalloyed joy... Ah! I thought, the Blessed Virgin smiled at me, how happy I am..."
Ms A 30 r°
Healing of Thérèse by the Virgin of the Smile
Project not selected for publication.
