ITALIE, XVIIe siècle
ITALIE, XVIIe siècle
SAINTE MARIE-MADELEINE White marble, carved
wooden frame Medallion: H. 29 cm, L. 43 cm
Frame: H. 50 cm, L. 64 cm
Bibliography
Rosa Giorgi, Les Saints, repères iconographiques, Ed. Hazan, Paris, 2003, p. 249
This marble medallion carved in high relief shows Saint Mary Magdalene lying down, her hair scattered covering her bust. Her life as a penitent is symbolized by the presence of the cross and the skull at her side, while the vase of perfume recalls the gospel episode of the meal at Simon the Pharisee's house, where
Madeleine coated Christ's feet with this essence. The whole is set in an elegant oval carved wooden frame with a ribboned frieze and a laurel frieze.
The iconography of the undone hair, the skull and the perfume bottle is characteristic of the representations of Saint Mary Magdalene. It can be found in numerous contemporary paintings of our high relief, including two representations by Georges de La Tour (fig. 1) and Caravaggio (fig. 2).
The image of Mary Magdalene follows the tradition that derives from the interpretation of Gregory the Great, according to which the two figures of Magdalene are identified in her person: the one who anointed the feet of Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee, and the sister of Martha of Bethany. Mary Magdalene would therefore be present in different episodes of the Gospels. A famous sinner, she presented herself to Jesus, the guest in Simon's house, to ask forgiveness for her sins, bathing his feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair and perfuming them with a precious ointment. This episode, related to that of Bethany, where, to honour Jesus, she opened a vase of ointment and poured it over his head and feet, is a prefiguration and announcement of Christ's death. Mary Magdalene is one of the three women who, on the day after the Sabbath, went early in the morning to the Sepulchre to anoint the body of Jesus, and it was she who saw the risen Christ before the apostles. Automatically translated by DeepL. To see the original version, click here.
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ITALIE, XVIIe siècle
SAINTE MARIE-MADELEINE White marble, carved
wooden frame Medallion: H. 29 cm, L. 43 cm
Frame: H. 50 cm, L. 64 cm
Bibliography
Rosa Giorgi, Les Saints, repères iconographiques, Ed. Hazan, Paris, 2003, p. 249
This marble medallion carved in high relief shows Saint Mary Magdalene lying down, her hair scattered covering her bust. Her life as a penitent is symbolized by the presence of the cross and the skull at her side, while the vase of perfume recalls the gospel episode of the meal at Simon the Pharisee's house, where
Madeleine coated Christ's feet with this essence. The whole is set in an elegant oval carved wooden frame with a ribboned frieze and a laurel frieze.
The iconography of the undone hair, the skull and the perfume bottle is characteristic of the representations of Saint Mary Magdalene. It can be found in numerous contemporary paintings of our high relief, including two representations by Georges de La Tour (fig. 1) and Caravaggio (fig. 2).
The image of Mary Magdalene follows the tradition that derives from the interpretation of Gregory the Great, according to which the two figures of Magdalene are identified in her person: the one who anointed the feet of Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee, and the sister of Martha of Bethany. Mary Magdalene would therefore be present in different episodes of the Gospels. A famous sinner, she presented herself to Jesus, the guest in Simon's house, to ask forgiveness for her sins, bathing his feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair and perfuming them with a precious ointment. This episode, related to that of Bethany, where, to honour Jesus, she opened a vase of ointment and poured it over his head and feet, is a prefiguration and announcement of Christ's death. Mary Magdalene is one of the three women who, on the day after the Sabbath, went early in the morning to the Sepulchre to anoint the body of Jesus, and it was she who saw the risen Christ before the apostles. Automatically translated by DeepL. To see the original version, click here.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
