Attributed to Jusepe de Ribera
The Penitent Magdalene
Oil on canvas
49 3/8 x 39 1/2 inches (125.4 x 100.3 cm)
Private collection
A sinner,
perhaps a courtesan, Mary Magdalen was a witness of Christ who renounced the
pleasures of the flesh for a life of penance and contemplation. Penitent
Magdalene or Penitent Magdalen refers to a post-biblical period in the life of
Mary Magdalene, according to medieval legend.
According to the tenets of the 17th–century Catholic
church, Mary Magdalene was an example of the repentant sinner and consequently
a symbol of the Sacrament of Penance. According to legend, Mary led a dissolute
life until her sister Martha persuaded her to listen to Jesus Christ. She
became one of Christ's most devoted followers and he absolved her of her former
sins. More
on The Penitent Magdalen
Penitent
Magdalen refers to a post-biblical period in the life of Mary Magdalen.
The
sacrament of Penance had important significance in Counter-Reformation
spirituality, and artists frequently portrayed penitent saints as exemplars of
religious fervor. Such works were meant to inspire a greater devotion. On the
other hand, the popularity of The Magdalene as a subject is also associated
with her implied sexuality. Her passive gaze and partially naked body appealed
to male viewers, for whom such paintings offered a moralizing context through
which to engage with the sensuality of the female form. The Penitent Magdalene
José de Ribera (January 12, 1591 –
September 2, 1652) was a Spanish
Tenebrist painter and printmaker, better known as Jusepe de Ribera. He also was
called Lo Spagnoletto ("the Little Spaniard") by his contemporaries
and early writers. Ribera was a leading painter of the Spanish school, although
his mature work was all done in Italy. More on José de Ribera
Please visit my other blogs: Art
Collector, Mythology, Marine
Art, Portrait of a Lady, The
Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The
Canals of Venice, Middle
East Artists, and 365 Saints, also visit my Boards on Pinterest
Images are copyright of their
respective owners, assignees or others. Some Images may be subject to copyright
I don't own any of these images -
credit is always given when due unless it is unknown to me. if I post your
images without your permission, please tell me.
I do not sell art, art prints, framed
posters or reproductions. Ads are shown only to compensate the hosting
expenses.
If you enjoyed this post, please share
with friends and family.
Thank you for visiting my blog and also
for liking its posts and pages.
Please note that the content of this
post primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free
sources online.
No comments:
Post a Comment