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Source Description
According to Catholic tradition, Mary Magdalene was a beautiful woman who had led a sinful life. Upon meeting Christ, she repented of her former ways. This painting characteristically depicts Mary Magdalene as a young woman with long blond hair, bared chest, and pale skin. Her eyes are turned sorrowfully towards God, and she is represented with a cross and a skull. Crespi has imitated the famous depictions of the same subject by another great Bolognese painter Guido Reni (Walters 37.2631). Exquisitely executed, the painting's small size indicates that it was a private devotional image for prayer and meditation.For more information on this painting, please see Federico Zeri's 1976 catalogue no. 440, pp. 551-552.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
3459
label
The Penitent Magdalene
core
obj
dtoType
drawing
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
3459
sourceUrl
contentType
drawing
stage
normalized
title
The Penitent Magdalene
description
According to Catholic tradition, Mary Magdalene was a beautiful woman who had led a sinful life. Upon meeting Christ, she repented of her former ways. This painting characteristically depicts Mary Magdalene as a young woman with long blond hair, bared chest, and pale skin. Her eyes are turned sorrowfully towards God, and she is represented with a cross and a skull. Crespi has imitated the famous depictions of the same subject by another great Bolognese painter Guido Reni (Walters 37.2631). Exquisitely executed, the painting's small size indicates that it was a private devotional image for prayer and meditation.For more information on this painting, please see Federico Zeri's 1976 catalogue no. 440, pp. 551-552.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore, prior to 1909 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
ca. 1725-1730 (Baroque)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Painting & Drawing
oil paintings (visual works)
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
23.5
height
17.9
dimensionsRaw
Painted surface H: 9 1/4 x W: 7 1/16 in. (23.5 x 17.9 cm)
Source extras
inscriptions
[Transcription] Later inscription engraved on the back of the copper sheet: CARLO CIGNANI FECE
med
oil on copper
creator_ids
7138
1913
collection_ids
BAR
exhibition_ids
none
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
1d3894361a171e6d