Artwork
A Lady Reading (Saint Mary Magdalene)
A Lady Reading (Saint Mary Magdalene) is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Master of the Female Half-Lengths. It dates from 1530 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Created around 1530, this oil on panel work is attributed to the anonymous painter known as the Master of the Female Half‑Lengths.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1530, this oil on panel work is attributed to the anonymous painter known as the Master of the Female Half‑Lengths. The painting is part of the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago and presents a solitary female figure absorbed in a book.
Subject & Meaning
The seated woman is traditionally identified as Saint Mary Magdalene, a figure frequently portrayed in devotional art. Unlike more dramatic representations, this image emphasizes quiet contemplation, suggesting an interior spiritual focus rather than overt narrative.
Technique & Style
The artist employs a restrained palette, allowing the figure’s attire and skin tones to emerge with clarity. Subtle glazing layers give the surface a luminous quality, a hallmark of early sixteenth‑century Netherlandish painting.
History & Provenance
The work entered the Art Institute of Chicago’s holdings in the twentieth century, though its earlier ownership remains undocumented. Its attribution to the Master of the Female Half‑Lengths rests on stylistic parallels with other half‑length female portraits of the period.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Master of the Female Half-Lengths
The Master of the Female Half-Lengths is a notname coined by the German art historian Max J.
