Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel was an artist and a totally devoted Franciscan nun. Her life and artistic creation were imbued with Franciscan spirituality. Her direct relation to people, to nature and especially to children is clearly visible in all her works.

Francis of Assisi*, the Founder of the Franciscan Order, was a man of childlike simplicity. The little, poor man from Assisi, as he called himself, has attracted and inspired countless people with his sense of joy love and of all creatures, and continues to do so today. His way of life enabled him to perceive the innermost depths of the nature of human beings and other creatures and also to bring about healing and reconciliation. His love was particularly directed to the poor, the weak and the needy.

Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel was inspired by the spirit of St. Francis. His simplicity and love of his neighbour provided a model for her and he was typically to be found depicted in her work. Like St. Francis, she loved all of Creation. For her, art was an expression of devotion to eternal beauty and at the same time an outpouring of her all-embracing love of mankind that she generously wished to share from within her inner strength.

The children in her pictures are surrounded by flowers, trees and animals. Her natural, simple and harmonious works focus on the essential. The colouring is subtle and somewhat restrained. The pictures, painted with childlike expression, are friendly, emotional, pure and marked by an unspoilt quality and inner truthfulness.

Although her work does not disregard the influences of the present, Sister Maria Innocentia’s pictures have a timeless quality about them. Her unique characteristics: quality, style, character and conviction make her into a successful artist. For the last 70 years she has been a classic, to whom changes are only made after careful thought.

The valuable art of reproduction and product development is essential. Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel’s work is not touched by other styles, nor are there any harsh or excessively bright colours. The works are at one with themselves and are unambiguous.

For Maria Innocentia Hummel the legacy of art and a commitment to quality constitute an indivisible whole. This unity provides the cornerstone of this highly regarded artist and is the guarantor of the continuing success of her works.

* Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) in his lifetime found a radical way of living the Gospel in everyday life. He provided a real challenge to the church and society of his time.