The Ecstasy of Mary Magdalene
19th-century artist
The Ecstasy of Mary Magdalene
19th-century artist
Oil on canvas
Signed lower left
Canvas: 83 x 63 cm
Frame: 115 x 94 cm prof. 15
Excellent condition
The canvas depicts a moment of ecstasy experienced by Mary Magdalene. Having cast off her gold and pearl necklaces and shattered her mirror—symbols of vanity tied to earthly life—she collapses in a state of profound repentance, supported by her sister, Martha.
Beside her stands the Virgin Mary, who gestures toward the path of the Lord.
Behind her is another young woman, while a small Moorish servant in livery gathers the objects left scattered on the ground.
Mary Magdalene is illuminated at the center of the composition; her attractive, bare-breasted form is presented in a pose with a distinctly erotic quality.
It is clear that the artist intended to create a work that, while ostensibly religious, would satisfy the patron’s desires—resulting in a piece well-suited for a private chamber.
The magnificent, grand, and opulent gilded frame seems to deliberately distance itself from the restrained, moralizing message of the painting’s subject matter.