“Repentant Mary Magdalene”
This hauntingly beautiful marble sculpture, titled “Repentant Mary Magdalene”, is by the Italian Neoclassical artist, Antonio Canova, from 1793 to 1796.
Canova did not often depict Biblical subjects but decided to create this piece during the later years of his career. Critics lauded the sculpture when it was first shown at the Paris Salon in 1808. It was his first piece to receive such praise at that venue, so he created a second and very similar version between 1808 and 1809.
Mary Magdalene met Jesus Christ, who inspired her to change her sinful ways. To work through her past, she spent time in the desert thinking over and lamenting the deeds she had done. This sculpture shows Mary Magdalene as a young woman in hermit’s clothes, kneeling penitent, feeling sorrow and regret for her sinful life. She is holding a bronze cross in her arms and a human skull, representing the fleeting existence of life, is next to her knee.
The theme of this work has been quite popular with many artists over the years. Caravaggio created a painting titled “Penitent Magdalene” depicting Mary Magdalene in a similar pose. The great Donatello had also made a wooden sculpture titled “Magdalene Penitent”, though this art master depicted Mary Magdalene in a much more haggard and realistic state than the idealized youthful woman of the other artists.
Canova made two “Repentant Mary Magdalene” sculptures. The one shown here is currently on display at the Palazzo Doria-Tursi of the Strada Nuova Museums in Genoa, Italy. The second version, which is today missing the bronze cross, is in the collections of the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
For more on Antonio Canova, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
