The Penitent Magdalene, After Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618-1682)

The Penitent Magdalene, After Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618-1682)

Early 19th century Continental School

Title: The Penitent Magdalene

Medium: Oil on canvas

Period: Early to mid 19th century

Provenance: From the private UK collection of John Ambrose (see letter from The National Gallery of Ireland).

Overall size with the frame is 140cm x 110cm x 7 cm and the painting measuring 114cm x 90cm

The present work is an early to mid 19th century Continental School oil-on-canvas depiction of The Penitent Magdalene, after a painting by the renowned Spanish Baroque painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618-1682). The original painting is held in The National Gallery of Ireland where it was acquired by the Shaw Trust in 1962.

The subject of the repentant Magdalene was widespread during the Counter-Reformation and enjoyed popularity throughout Europe, particular in Spain. Images of a penitent (regretful and self-chastising) Magdalene were very popular as a morally uplifting subject of paintings intended for Christian homes.

Her story, which by the High Middle Ages incorporated episodes concerning three different figures in the New Testament, as well as numerous additional details, provided rich subject matter for religious art. The Magdalene’s primary role in Christian worship, however, was as a repentant sinner.

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was the most popular Baroque religious painter of 17th-century Spain, noted for his idealized, sometimes precious manner. Active in Seville, Murillo was a highly prolific artist of religious paintings in which he combined realism with a taste for sentimental beauty.

Condition report: The original canvas has had recent repairs and has been laid into a new canvas and stretcher bars. The repairs include an old vertical tear in the background above the sitter’s head, one to the right-hand side of the sitter running horizontal, as well as a repair to the lower right-hand side of the sitter, also within the background.

There is fine craquelure to various places commensurate with its age.

It appears the painting has only had a relatively light to moderate clean with the decision made to retain some of the age-related patina. The recently re-laid canvas is in good tension.

Note:

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