Venetian School Artist, Penitent Magdalene, 1640, Oil on Copper

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Venetian school painting, first half of the 17th century. Oil on copper artwork depicting Saint Mary Magdalene in Penitence, an … Read more Venetian school painting, first half of the 17th century. Oil on copper artwork depicting Saint Mary Magdalene in Penitence, an intense and captivating subject. The saint is generally identified with the penitent prostitute described in the Gospel of Luke, and according to the Golden Legend, she retreated to pray in a cave in France.

Magdalene is depicted in a delicately sensual manner, with bare shoulders and only a mat covering her, her hands clasped in prayer, her gaze turned upward, her face streaked with tears. Next to her are her typical iconographic attributes: a crucifix, a memento mori skull, an open book, and a jar of ointments.

Behind her, we glimpse a splendid church, a spatial reference to her spiritual retreat in France. The composition is related to the Penitent Magdalene painted around 1598 by the Venetian painter Domenico Tintoretto, son of the great master Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto. The painting, now exhibited at the Capitoline Museums in Rome, enjoyed great success and was reworked by Italian and foreign artists.

A highly evocative painting, ideal for collectors of early religious paintings and perfect for small reception rooms and refined professional studios. The 20th-century carved and gilded wooden frame is beautifully decorated, with some small drops. The artwork shows some signs of aging, but is generally in good condition. Interior size: H 18.5 x W 14 cm. See less