Boulogne School (c. 1640) - Saint Mary Magdalene

Oil on canvas. Original canvas. Very good condition. A sublime representation of central Italy from the mid-17th century, this penitent Magdalene encapsulates, in its poignant beauty, all the spiritual and pictorial eloquence of the Seicento. The saint emerges from a background of deep shadows, where the masterful interplay of light and shadow delicately highlights the immaculate whiteness of her skin, which seems to radiate an inner light, a mixture of emotion and repentance. Exquisite glazes trace the transparent trail of tears flowing down her face, still illuminated by the gleam of the jewels she is about to remove in a gesture of renunciation. Her breast, barely veiled by an imperceptible muslin, is offered with restrained purity, a symbol of penitence and reconciled humanity. The composition, of poignant sobriety, combines technical refinement and profound spirituality, making this work a paradigmatic example of the baroque sensibility of central Italy, where emotion is elevated to the level of grace.- Dimensions of the image without frame: 49 x 64 cm / 61.5 x 75.5 cm with a magnificent mid-18th century frame.