Artwork
Saint Mary Magdalene
Saint Mary Magdalene is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Francesco Granacci. It dates from 1532 and is held in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek.
About this work
Overview
Francesco Granacci’s oil painting *Saint Mary Magdalene* dates to 1532. Executed in the early Mannerist period, the work presents the biblical figure in a modest interior, highlighted by a golden halo and a simple dark cup. The composition is held by the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains part of the museum’s permanent collection.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a contemplative woman identified as Mary Magdalene. She stands barefoot on a plain floor, dressed in a blue garment beneath a vivid red cloak that falls across one arm. The halo denotes sanctity, while the small dark cup she cradles alludes to the traditional attribute of the penitent saint, symbolising repentance and devotion.
Technique & Style
Granacci employs a restrained chiaroscuro, allowing the bright red cloak and halo to emerge from the muted gray background. The soft modelling of the face, with subtle shadows under the eyes, reflects the Mannerist shift toward elongated forms and heightened colour contrast. The flat architectural arch behind the figure reinforces the painting’s focus on the saint’s interiority.
History & Provenance
Trained in the workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio, Granacci produced this work during a period of stylistic transition in Florence. After remaining in private hands for several centuries, the painting entered the collection of the Alte Pinakothek, where it has been displayed as part of the museum’s representation of 16th‑century Italian art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco Granacci (1469 – 30 November 1543) was an Italian Renaissance painter active primarily in his native Florence.
