The Crucifixion With Mary Magdalene, Continental School, 19th Century.

Details

Description

The present work depicts the crucified Christ in a frontal pose on the cross, with bloodied wounds at the hands … Read more The present work depicts the crucified Christ in a frontal pose on the cross, with bloodied wounds at the hands and feet, and the INRI inscription above. At the base of the cross kneels Mary Magdalene, gazing upward in sorrowful devotion, her long blonde hair flowing and hands clasped in prayer. The composition is minimalist, focusing on the emotional intensity of the scene against a dramatic, turbulent sky with reddish and gray tones, evoking a sense of isolation and spiritual reflection.

**Attribution: Circle of the Nazarene Movement (German/Austrian School, circa 1800–1840), after Luca Signorelli**

This painting is attributed to an artist working in the circle of the Nazarene movement (Nazareners or Lukasbund), a group of early Romantic German painters who drew inspiration from early Renaissance and pre-Renaissance Italian masters. It is executed as a high-quality copy or pastiche after Luca Signorelli's renowned *Crucifixion with Mary Magdalene* (circa 1502–1505, tempera on canvas, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence), adapted with a softer, more sentimental Romantic sensibility.

**Reasons for the Attribution:**

- **Stylistic Characteristics**: The composition closely mirrors Signorelli's original in its frontal depiction of Christ with pronounced foreshortening of the arms, the kneeling Magdalene embracing the cross, and the sparse landscape. However, the anatomy of Christ's body is less rigorously muscular and precise than Signorelli's (known for his anatomical studies that influenced Michelangelo), featuring softer contours and idealized forms typical of Nazarene aesthetics. The dramatic yet unified sky with muted, blended colors lacks the sharp light contrasts of High Renaissance works, instead reflecting the Nazarene preference for emotional piety and "primitive" simplicity, as seen in artists like Johann Friedrich Overbeck or Peter von Cornelius.

- **Iconographic and Compositional Choices**: The idealized, melancholic expression of Mary Magdalene — with her flowing hair and devotional pose — aligns with 19th-century Romantic interpretations, where the Nazarenes deliberately emulated "archaic" Italian prototypes (e.g., Perugino, Signorelli, Fra Angelico) but infused them with heightened sentimentality and spiritual introspection. This contrasts with the more dynamic and anatomically intense original, pointing to a devotional revival style popular in Central Europe during the early Romantic period.

- **Technical and Material Evidence**: The use of oil on canvas (rather than Signorelli's tempera), the visible craquelure pattern, and signs of 19th-century restoration (relining with wooden keys) are consistent with Nazarene-era production. The simple, dark frame without Renaissance ornamentation further supports a 19th-century Central European origin.

Provenance:
Formerly in a European private collection; acquired on the Vienna antiques market (Austria). The object has been in Europe for several decades.

Works from the Nazarene circle, particularly those echoing Italian Renaissance masters, remain desirable for their historical significance in the 19th-century sacred art revival and their appeal to collectors of devotional imagery. See less