Saint Mary Magdalene
This lady’s richly jeweled hat and elegant dress reflect her wealth. To medieval viewers, her flowing hair suggested she is unmarried but also
hinted at loose morals. Only the ointment jar, delicately held open, reveals the figure to be Mary Magdalene, known to medieval Christians as a reformed woman who twice anointed Jesus’s feet. Legends held that she renounced her role as a sex worker and the riches derived from it after converting to Christianity. The sculpture juxtaposes the fine clothing of her early life with the prominent cross hanging from her neck as a reminder that even sinners may seek salvation.
hinted at loose morals. Only the ointment jar, delicately held open, reveals the figure to be Mary Magdalene, known to medieval Christians as a reformed woman who twice anointed Jesus’s feet. Legends held that she renounced her role as a sex worker and the riches derived from it after converting to Christianity. The sculpture juxtaposes the fine clothing of her early life with the prominent cross hanging from her neck as a reminder that even sinners may seek salvation.
Artwork Details
- Title: Saint Mary Magdalene
- Date: ca. 1500–1525
- Geography: Made in Troyes
- Culture: French
- Medium: Limestone with traces of paint
- Dimensions: 43 7/8 × 12 1/2 × 10 3/8 in. (111.4 × 31.8 × 26.4 cm)
- Classification: Sculpture-Stone
- Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1916
- Object Number: 16.32.160
- Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters
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French
ca. 1515
Claus de Werve
ca. 1415–17
Atelier of the Juliots
ca. 1550–60
School of Troyes
16th century
French
ca. 1475
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