Sister of Charity (Halifax) – Posthumous art exhibit

Two paintings by the late Sister Agnes Berchmans (born Julia Alma Landry in 1879) will be part of an exhibit in Halifax Nova Scotia. After joining the Sisters of Charity in 1896, she studied in Florence, Italy with painter Filadelfo Simi.  She went on to complete 135 religious paintings for the Motherhouse Chapel at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, which was destroyed by fire in 1951. Her remaining work is said to number approximately 350 canvases. Her great niece, Gay Kleiber of Yarmouth, recently undertook a mission to find out where many of Sister Agnes’ paintings are. This premier showing of her paintings will be part of new exhibit “Generations,” which showcases three generations of the Landry-Horton families originally of Yarmouth will open at the Yarmouth County Museum and Archives on Friday, Jan. 7.

Philomena, oil on canvas by Sr. Agnes Berchmans. (Collection of Gay Kleiber.)