{"id":8687,"date":"2026-10-02T11:35:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T11:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/?post_type=portfolio&#038;p=8687"},"modified":"2026-10-04T09:24:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T09:24:35","slug":"poor-maria","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/","title":{"rendered":"Poor Maria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div  class='avia-slideshow av-muqpzwac-dccc0af9cea69691f4f5307222ca5b17 avia-slideshow-no scaling av_slideshow avia-slide-slider  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_codeblock  el_before_av_tab_container  av-slideshow-ui av-control-default av-slideshow-manual av-loop-once av-loop-manual-endless av-default-height-applied avia-slideshow-1' data-slideshow-options=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:false,&quot;loop_autoplay&quot;:&quot;once&quot;,&quot;interval&quot;:5,&quot;loop_manual&quot;:&quot;manual-endless&quot;,&quot;autoplay_stopper&quot;:false,&quot;noNavigation&quot;:false,&quot;bg_slider&quot;:false,&quot;keep_padding&quot;:false,&quot;hoverpause&quot;:false,&quot;show_slide_delay&quot;:0}\"  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><ul class='avia-slideshow-inner ' style='padding-bottom: 63.454545454545%;'><li  class='avia-slideshow-slide av-muqpzwac-dccc0af9cea69691f4f5307222ca5b17__0  av-single-slide slide-1 slide-odd'><div data-rel='slideshow-1' class='avia-slide-wrap '   ><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-8739 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-8739\"  src=\"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria.jpg\" width=\"1100\" height=\"698\" title='' alt=''  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-300x190.jpg 300w, https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-1030x654.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-768x487.jpg 768w, https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-705x447.jpg 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" \/><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<div  class='tabcontainer av-muqq14ur-60ba843759c4fd5565072d17b796a6e0 top_tab  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_slideshow  avia-builder-el-last '>\n<section class='av_tab_section av_tab_section av-muqq0l20-ad483469528dbcc44fbd30eb843c1233'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div id='tab-id-1-tab' class='tab active_tab' role='tab' aria-selected=\"true\" tabindex=\"0\" data-fake-id='#tab-id-1' aria-controls='tab-id-1-content'  itemprop=\"headline\" >Script<\/div><div id='tab-id-1-content' class='tab_content active_tab_content' role='tabpanel' aria-labelledby='tab-id-1-tab' aria-hidden=\"false\"><div class='tab_inner_content invers-color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>&#8216;Poor Maria&#8217;, 2026<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In the three panels, each comprising several lithophanes , the artist evokes the figure of Maria who appears in Laurence Sterne\u2019s classic work of English literature, *The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman* (1759\u20131767). Over the years, Maria has become the popular archetype of Melancholy, giving rise to numerous pictorial and literary interpretations.<\/p>\n<p>Laurence A\u00ebgerter, in turn, revisits this figure, who has been driven \u2018mad\u2019 by Love\u2014a fate against which one is powerless\u2014yet who seems to live out her despair serenely in the shade of a tree, alongside a dog or a goat, appearing to converse with the stream\u2014both a purifier and a source of chaos\u2014that flows at her feet.<br \/>\nThe artist selects, from the photographic archives of the San Clemente asylum, portraits of women suffering from the same symptoms, and from the Archives of the Planet, elements of the setting which she assembles around the portraits like the set pieces of a painting.<\/p>\n<p>The ambivalence of emotions \u2013 madness, despair, serenity, acceptance \u2013 is conveyed through the technique of lithophany. With the lights off, the lithophanes are opaque; the forms are raw and indistinct, as if a storm were brewing, just waiting to break. This effect is reinforced by the cold, metallic frames. When lit, the intensity of the gazes or the cascading waterfalls is softened by the shades of grey and the gentle light from the light source.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sylvain Besson, Directeur des collections, mus\u00e9e Nic\u00e9phore Ni\u00e9pce<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Texte original<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Les trois panneaux compos\u00e9s chacun de plusieurs lithophanies, <i>Poor Maria<\/i>, t\u00e9moignent pour leur part de la complexit\u00e9 de la d\u00e9marche de l\u2019artiste.<br \/>\nElle y \u00e9voque la figure de Maria apparue dans le classique de la litt\u00e9rature anglaise <i>Vie et opinions de Tristram Shandy, gentilhomme <\/i>(1759-1767) de Laurence Sterne.<br \/>\nAu fil des ann\u00e9es, Maria est devenu l\u2019arch\u00e9type populaire de la M\u00e9lancolie, donnant lieu \u00e0 de multiples interpr\u00e9tations picturales et litt\u00e9raires.<\/p>\n<p>Laurence A\u00ebgerter reprend \u00e0 son tour cette figure, devenue \u00ab folle \u00bb par Amour, pour laquelle on ne peut rien mais qui semble vivre sereinement son d\u00e9sespoir \u00e0 l\u2019ombre d\u2019un arbre, aux c\u00f4t\u00e9s d\u2019un chien ou d\u2019une ch\u00e8vre, semblant dialoguer avec le ruisseau, \u00e0 la fois purificateur et source de chaos, qui passe \u00e0 ses pieds.<br \/>\nL\u2019artiste choisit au sein des fonds photographiques de l\u2019asile de San Clemente des portraits de femmes en proie aux m\u00eames sympt\u00f4mes et dans les Archives de la Plan\u00e8te les \u00e9l\u00e9ments du d\u00e9cor qu\u2019elle assemble autour des portraits comme les pi\u00e8ces de d\u00e9cor d\u2019un tableau.<\/p>\n<p>L\u2019ambivalence des sentiments &#8211; la folie, le d\u00e9sespoir, la s\u00e9r\u00e9nit\u00e9, l\u2019acceptation &#8211; est restitu\u00e9e par le proc\u00e9d\u00e9 de lithophanie. \u00c9clairage \u00e9teint, les lithophanies sont opaques, les formes sont brutes, indistinctes, comme si une temp\u00eate couvait et ne demandait qu\u2019\u00e0 surgir. Cet aspect est renforc\u00e9 par l\u2019encadrement froid, m\u00e9tallique. \u00c0 la lumi\u00e8re, la violence des regards ou des chutes d\u2019eau se trouve att\u00e9nu\u00e9e par les niveaux de gris et l\u2019\u00e9clairage doux de la source lumineuse.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Laurence A\u00ebgerter<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Following the creation of my monumental textile work \u2018Epic of the Mind\u2019 (2023), \u2018Poor Maria\u2019 marks the next new step, exploring the marvellous human spirit \u2013 at once so fragile and yet so resilient. \u2018Poor Maria\u2019 is an iconic figure from the famous, and at the time phenomenally popular, works of the 18th-century English writer Laurence Sterne*. Through his novels, \u2018Poor Maria\u2019 became a popular archetype for \u2018melancholy\u2019, that is to say, clinical depression.<\/p>\n<p>An intense heartbreak has plunged \u2018Poor Maria\u2019 into a state of profound alienation from the world.The reader, just like the main character in the book, is struck by feelings of empathy for her, but also by a painful sense of helplessness; \u2018Poor Maria\u2019, it turns out, has found a certain harmony amidst all her confusion and is able to enchant people.She spends her life sitting under a tree by a stream, playing the flute in the company of her little goat (later replaced by a little dog). Countless paintings, prints and sculptures of \u2018Poor Maria\u2019 have been produced in England.<\/p>\n<p>I find the immense popularity of this allegorical female figure representing melancholic madness a fascinating and inspiring phenomenon. How can someone in \u2018Poor Maria\u2019s\u2019 situation be helped? Is society responsible for her mental state?<br \/>\nThe complex challenge of human existence, \u2018la Condition Humaine\u2019, is a harsh reality which, in varying contexts and degrees, is a universal, shared experience.<br \/>\nThe story of \u2018Poor Maria\u2019 and the issues it raises are timeless in nature; they are therefore also highly topical.<\/p>\n<p>*Inspired by Laurence Sterne (1713\u20131768), *The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman* (1759) and *A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy* (1768).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class='av_tab_section av_tab_section av-muqq0tgs-bd9a0718557ee0996171b8b19e2bbbee'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div id='tab-id-2-tab' class='tab' role='tab' aria-selected=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\" data-fake-id='#tab-id-2' aria-controls='tab-id-2-content'  itemprop=\"headline\" >Credits<\/div><div id='tab-id-2-content' class='tab_content' role='tabpanel' aria-labelledby='tab-id-2-tab' aria-hidden=\"true\"><div class='tab_inner_content invers-color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><em>Poor Maria,<\/em> 2026<\/p>\n<p>A triptych of 3 patined steal frames containing together 17 Bone China porcelain lithophanes, backlit.<\/p>\n<p>Two frames of 82 x 68 cm and one of\u00a0 82 x 60 cm. Lithophanes of various sizes.<\/p>\n<p>Sources: Les archives de la plan\u00e8te, Mus\u00e9e d\u00e9partemental Albert Kahn and the photographic archive of the woman asylum San Clemente in Venezia.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8739 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-300x190.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-300x190.jpg 300w, https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-1030x654.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-768x487.jpg 768w, https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-705x447.jpg 705w, https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<section class='av_tab_section av_tab_section av-muqq13uh-9a6f14d637a3971e5f718468109736b8'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div id='tab-id-3-tab' class='tab' role='tab' aria-selected=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\" data-fake-id='#tab-id-3' aria-controls='tab-id-3-content'  itemprop=\"headline\" >Bonus<\/div><div id='tab-id-3-content' class='tab_content' role='tabpanel' aria-labelledby='tab-id-3-tab' aria-hidden=\"true\"><div class='tab_inner_content invers-color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Tab Content goes here<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"portfolio_entries":[],"class_list":["post-8687","portfolio","type-portfolio","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Poor Maria - Laurence A\u00ebgerter<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Poor Maria - Laurence A\u00ebgerter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Laurence A\u00ebgerter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-04T09:24:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-300x190.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/portfolio-item\\\/poor-maria\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/portfolio-item\\\/poor-maria\\\/\",\"name\":\"Poor Maria - Laurence A\u00ebgerter\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/portfolio-item\\\/poor-maria\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/portfolio-item\\\/poor-maria\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-300x190.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-02T11:35:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-04T09:24:35+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/portfolio-item\\\/poor-maria\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/portfolio-item\\\/poor-maria\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/portfolio-item\\\/poor-maria\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria.jpg\",\"width\":1100,\"height\":698,\"caption\":\"Poor Maria\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/portfolio-item\\\/poor-maria\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Poor Maria\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/\",\"name\":\"Laurence A\u00ebgerter\",\"description\":\"laur10\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/laurenceaegerter.com\\\/artwork\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Poor Maria - Laurence A\u00ebgerter","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Poor Maria - Laurence A\u00ebgerter","og_url":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/","og_site_name":"Laurence A\u00ebgerter","article_modified_time":"2026-10-04T09:24:35+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-300x190.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/","url":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/","name":"Poor Maria - Laurence A\u00ebgerter","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria-300x190.jpg","datePublished":"2026-10-02T11:35:31+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-04T09:24:35+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LaurenceAegerter-PoorMaria.jpg","width":1100,"height":698,"caption":"Poor Maria"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/portfolio-item\/poor-maria\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Poor Maria"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/#website","url":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/","name":"Laurence A\u00ebgerter","description":"laur10","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/8687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/portfolio"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8687"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/8687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8848,"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/8687\/revisions\/8848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8687"},{"taxonomy":"portfolio_entries","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenceaegerter.com\/artwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio_entries?post=8687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}