Mary Magdalene Penitent
c. 1650 Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando
About this artwork
This oil on canvas depicts Mary Magdalene in prayer, characterized by the dramatic chiaroscuro typical of the period. It is housed in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid.
Did you know?
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was renowned for his ability to capture deep spiritual emotion in his religious subjects. In this portrayal, the inclusion of the open book and her upward gaze serves as a traditional iconographic representation of her conversion and devotion to prayer after living a life of excess.
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Mary Magdalene Penitent
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, c. 1650
