Artwork
Hl. Magdalena
Hl. Magdalena is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Bartolomeo Schedoni. It dates from 1596 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1596, this oil on canvas by the Italian painter Bartolomeo Schedoni portrays the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. The work is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it is displayed among other late‑Renaissance religious images.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a solitary woman seated in a dim interior, her head inclined on one hand as if in contemplation. She cradles a small box containing a key, a traditional emblem of penitence and redemption, while a bundle of sticks and scattered apples lie nearby, reinforcing themes of humility and the transience of earthly pleasures.
Technique & Style
Schedoni employs a stark chiaroscuro, illuminating the Magdalene’s face against a deep, shadowed backdrop. The contrast heightens the psychological intensity of the scene, rendering the figure almost luminous. The painter’s handling of light and texture reflects the influence of Caravaggist tenebrism while retaining a softer, more lyrical brushwork characteristic of the Ferrarese school.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings in the early twentieth century, having passed through several private collections in Italy and Germany. Documentation traces its ownership back to a 17th‑century ecclesiastical commission, though the original patron remains unidentified.
Artist & collection
