Who painted Saint Mary Magdalene?

Saint Mary Magdalene was painted by Jacques Callot in 1632.

Where can I see Saint Mary Magdalene?

Saint Mary Magdalene is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Saint Mary Magdalene?

Saint Mary Magdalene is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Saint Mary Magdalene

Jacques Callot , 1632

Saint Mary Magdalene is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1632 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The composition balances a quiet interior moment with an underlying tension conveyed through the stark, angular rendering of foliage and rock.

Jacques Callot’s *Saint Mary Magdalene* is an early‑17th‑century etching executed on laid paper. Dated to around 1632, the print presents a kneeling female figure in a forested setting, accompanied by a child, while a taller, gesturing presence looms behind a tree. The composition balances a quiet interior moment with an underlying tension conveyed through the stark, angular rendering of foliage and rock.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is identified as Mary Magdalene, traditionally associated with penitence and devotion. Her upward gaze toward the larger, arm‑raised figure suggests a moment of supplication or revelation, while the infant she cradles introduces a maternal dimension. The juxtaposition of the intimate and the monumental invites contemplation of spiritual yearning within a natural landscape.

Technique & Style

Callot employs a dense network of fine, incised lines to model the trees, stones, and sky, producing a textured, almost abrasive surface. The use of laid‑paper grain enhances the tonal variation, while the stark black‑and‑white palette emphasizes contrast. This approach reflects the Baroque penchant for dramatic chiaroscuro and kinetic energy, rendered here through the print’s jagged, expressive line work.

History & Provenance

Created during Callot’s most prolific period, the etching belongs to a body of work that exceeds fourteen hundred prints, spanning religious, military, and genre subjects. As a native of the Duchy of Lorraine, Callot’s prints circulated widely across Europe, influencing contemporaries and later printmakers. The specific ownership trail of this particular impression remains undocumented, but it exemplifies the artist’s extensive output and his role in disseminating Baroque visual culture.