Episodes from the Lives of Mary Magdalen and Saint John the Baptist

Executed in egg tempera, the painting displays the fine, linear brushwork typical of mid‑fourteenth‑century Iberian art. The medium allows for precise detailing and a luminous surface that creates subtle modeling of forms. The composition’s compartmentalized structure and ornamental borders reflect a medieval storytelling approach, where each vignette is rendered with careful attention to costume, gesture, and setting.

The panel has remained in the Spanish royal collections before being transferred to the national museum. Its attribution to Jaume Serra rests on stylistic comparison with other works from his workshop, and the dated inscription confirms its creation in the mid‑1300s. The painting entered the Museo del Prado’s holdings in the 19th century, where it is displayed among other Gothic religious panels.

Serra’s work belongs to a period when Catalan painters were integrating local devotional traditions with broader European iconographic trends. The combination of biblical figures with everyday objects such as musical instruments reflects a didactic intent, making sacred stories accessible to contemporary viewers. The panel’s narrative format aligns with the didactic panels found in churches and private chapels of the time.