Artwork
St Mary Magdalene
St Mary Magdalene is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Carlo Dolci. It dates from 1644 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.
About this work
Overview
Carlo Dolci, a Florentine painter of the Baroque era, completed the oil painting *St Mary Magdalene* in 1644. The work is part of the early Italian Baroque movement and is presently housed in the State Hermitage Museum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a woman with long dark hair, dressed in a red robe and a luminous halo, holding a white cloth in her left hand. Her downward gaze and the somber lighting suggest a contemplative, penitential figure, identified as Mary Magdalene.
Technique & Style
Dolci employs chiaroscuro, contrasting a dark, almost black background with the illuminated figure, to create depth and emotional intensity. The precise rendering of fabric and flesh reflects his reputation for meticulous finish in religious subjects.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑17th century, the painting later entered the State Hermitage Museum, where it remains on display. Dolci often produced several versions of the same theme, and this piece represents one of his later religious commissions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carlo (or Carlino) Dolci (25 May 1616 – 17 January 1686) was an Italian Baroque painter active mainly in Florence, known for highly finished religious pictures, often repeated in many versions.
