Mary Magdalene

17TH CENTURY VENETIAN PAINTER

Mary Magdalene

oil on canvas, cm 66×55

This exquisite painting, attributed to a Venetian artist active in the 17th century, bears witness to the stylistic influence of Jacopo Bassano (Bassano del Grappa, 1510–1592), one of the most important masters of the Venetian Renaissance. The work in question is a reinterpretation, with significant variants, of a detail from the altarpiece depicting the Madonna and Child Enthroned, flanked by St Elisabeth, St Catherine and Mary Magdalene.

The original composition, initially exhibited in the parish of Fara, is now in the Pinacoteca di Vicenza (inv. A.-354). In this version, the artist has skilfully and sensitively reinterpreted the sacred subject of Mary Magdalene, enriching it with unique details that reflect his own vision and the liveliness of art in the Veneto region during that period. The variations not only lend a distinctive character to the work, but also demonstrate the artist’s ability to dialogue with iconographic models of the past, reinterpreting them in a personal and innovative way.