Repentant Mary Magdalene

Artemisia Gentileschi painted this Magdalene around 1625-1626, when Italian Baroque art was embracing strong, theatrical light. The saint sits slumped in a tall, ornate chair, her head tilted and resting on a limp hand, an image of weariness more than sorrow. Around her lie the traces of the life she has renounced: a jar of ointment, a small hand mirror with a black frame, a gold bracelet set with gems and a large pearl earring. These vanities lie abandoned in shadow, while light falls across her bare shoulder and open lap. The painting belonged to the 3rd Duke of Alcalá and was displayed in his Seville residence, where it became well known and was copied many times. After a long absence from public records, it resurfaced at a French auction in 2001 and was acquired in 2024 by the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. It is considered the original, while a copy is held in Seville Cathedral.

Painter

Artemisia Gentileschi

Date

1625

Medium

oil paint

Dimensions

122 × 96 cm

Museum

Seville Cathedral, Seville

Genre

religious art

Depicts

woman, Mary Magdalene

Share:FacebookWhatsApp