Workshop of Paul Bril, Landscape with Mary Magdalene, 1640, Oil on Canvas

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Fantastic landscape with mary magdalene
paul bril (antwerp, 1554 – rome, 1626) workshop of

first half of the 17th century

… Read more Fantastic landscape with mary magdalene
paul bril (antwerp, 1554 – rome, 1626) workshop of

first half of the 17th century

oil on canvas (76 x 96 cm - in an antique frame 95 x 119 cm)

the painting in question, a fascinating fantasy landscape whose features immediately reveal the artist's nordic origins, can rightfully be placed in the close circle of the flemish artist paul bril (antwerp, 1554 – rome, 1626) and in particular as a distinguished painter active in the early 17th century.

the view is characterized by a markedly imaginative, free spirit, capable of transfiguring the realistic landscape into something utterly dreamlike, almost dreamlike, and is part of a landscape style typical of 17th-century flemish art, of which paul bril was the undisputed master.

in the distance, a broad landscape spreads out, composed of cities, waterways, castles, steep rocks, and mountains. The detailed , the unfolding of perspective, and the color palette, characterized by the evocative elegance of their tones, are unmistakable characteristics that confirm the artist's closeness.

the master often introduced religious figures into his captivating landscapes: in our case, the protagonist of the work is a seductive saint mary magdalene, semi-nude to recall her sinful past, her long hair falling over her body and her gaze filled with emotion and repentance. Alongside her are the skull, the cross, and the ointment vial, the three canonical symbols of her iconography.

the drawing derives from a famous print depicting the penitent magdalene in a landscape, engraved by raphael sadler around 1583 and based on an invention by the flemish painter marten de vos (1532–1603).

we know that paul bril drew on de vos's iconographic repertoire on numerous occasions, using her drawings as thematic framework for his compositions, then integrating them with his typical landscape style, employing his canonical "wing" landscape scheme, with dense vegetation in the foreground framing the sacred scene.

the effect is emphasized by the different palette, on the one hand featuring warm, brown tones, on the other characterized by the cool blue hues used to render the mountains in the background and the sky, the latter pierced by a beam of light coming from the right corner of the painting and directed toward the figure.

given the still archaic aspects of the composition, the canvas draws inspiration from works from his early pictorial phase (therefore still in the 16th century), when the artist was still drawn to the fantastical late mannerist landscapes reminiscent of pieter brueghel the elder.

for comparison, consider some of the master's works now held in various museums, including:

paul bril, landscape with mary magdalene, bavarian state collections – alte pinakothek
paul bril, landscape with saint francis of assisi, galleria borghese, rome
paul bril (circle), seascape with saint jerome, museo civico sarnico
paul bril, christ and the disciples on the road to emmaus, udine castle
paul bril, landscape with the return of the prodigal son, private collection

conservation: the canvas is distinguished by its vibrant colors and good condition, considering its age, with scattered retouching on the surface.

additional information:

the work is sold with a beautiful frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and guarantee. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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