Scenes uit het leven van Margaretha-Maria Alacoque before 1867

This anonymous photograph from before 1867 shows a collection of images depicting scenes from the life of Marguerite-Marie Alacoque (1647-1690), a French Roman Catholic nun who is venerated as a saint. The central image shows Alacoque, dressed in her habit, holding a chalice, while surrounding images depict scenes of her life, including her visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The image format and subject matter indicate that the photograph was likely created as an illustration for a book or religious publication, and was intended for a religious audience. This photograph is an example of photographic documentation of religious imagery and an important visual record of the life and devotion to a particular saint.