The Sculptor and the Saint
This dual-timeline historical novel brings to life both the martyrdom of the early Roman virgin Saint Cecilia (c. 250 AD) and the creation of the Baroque sculpture portraying her as she was discovered in her coffin in the catacombs of Rome in 1596. Stefano Maderno (c. 1600), the sculptor who fashioned this remarkable work, is the second protagonist.
The story of Cecilia’s marriage and martyrdom is interwoven with the discovery of her undamaged sarcophagus and the exhumation of her body, an event at which Maderno was present. Little is known about the artist, but his statue stands as a lasting tribute to the 23-year-old who produced a masterpiece yet created nothing later of comparable quality. Swick vividly imagines his process as a merging of the saint’s mystical presence with his tormented creativity, portraying the destructive, physical act of beating a work of art from marble. Cecilia’s tragic life, cruel death, and bizarre afterlife are paired with Maderno’s increasingly extreme behaviour as he becomes consumed by his artistic endeavour.
Swick’s portrayal of Cecilia, honoured as the patron saint of music, departs from traditional hagiographies. Her historical analysis in the Author’s Notes offers a persuasive reinterpretation of Cecilia as both a living woman and a virgin saint whose image was shaped to serve the needs of the patriarchal Roman Catholic Church.
