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The Holy Women at the Tomb,
Sculpted by George Minne (1866-1941),
Modelled in 1896,
Carved oak
© 2000–2020 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved |
Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples.
And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings’ he said. And the women came up to him and, falling down before him, clasped his feet. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’
While they were on their way, some of the guard went off into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened. These held a meeting with the elders and, after some discussion, handed a considerable sum of money to the soldiers with these instructions, ‘This is what you must say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” And should the governor come to hear of this, we undertake to put things right with him ourselves and to see that you do not get into trouble.’ The soldiers took the money and carried out their instructions, and to this day that is the story among the Jews. |
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| Reflection on the Carved Oak Sculpture
Our Gospel passage starts with the words ‘Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples’. Today we hear of the holy women who discovered the empty tomb of Jesus Christ, bearing witness to His miraculous resurrection. The sculpture depicts the three women in a state of sadness. Their heads are hanging low, we can’t see their faces, they are looking at the ground, their eyes in darkness. But soon they will discover the empty tomb and be filed with awe and joy that Christ is risen!
George Minne, a Belgian sculptor active in the late 19th/early 20 centuries, highlights the mysterious character of the event by completely enveloping the trio in concealing robes. The women are deeply embraced by the paschal mystery. The stylised play of drapery shows that the women are holding their hands close to their hearts underneath their respective cloaks. The three women are sculpted from one block of wood and therefore forever linked. The paschal mystery and their faith unites them in spirit and material!
The women are about to experience immense joy when they will discover the empty tomb and realise that Christ is risen… it will be a joy like no other… a joy at an absence which at the same time is an overwhelming presence!
by Patrick van der Vorst
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