amulets talismans and pantacles

Tali Lennox, The Little Death, 2022, oil on linen, 17 3/4 x 14 5/8 inches

essay

by SIMON LIBERATI

artwork by TALI LENNOX

French writer and journalist Simon Liberati blends autobiographical elements with historical and fictional narratives. His works reflect a fascination with
the decadent and the extraordinary. His latest novel, La Hyène du Capitole, was published by Stock in 2024.

In the seventh arrondissement of Paris, at 140 rue du Bac, near the luxury department store Le Bon Marché, you’ll find a Catholic chapel dedicated to the cult of the Virgin Mary that has been attracting worshippers for two centuries. A reputedly miraculous medal is sold there for around €30. Its history dates back to the night of July 18-19, 1830. In this chapel, then dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Marian apparition took place: the Virgin Mary sat in a Charles X-style…