Saint Mary Magdalene in the Desert, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes
Pierre Puvis de Chavannes
Saint Mary Magdalene in the Desert
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Pierre Puvis de Chavannes

Saint Mary Magdalene in the Desert, 1869


Dimensions
156.5 x 105.5 cm
Physical Description
Oil on canvas
Inventory Number
1457
Acquisition
Acquired in 1910, property of Städelscher Museums-Verein e.V.
Status
On display, 1st upper level, Modern Art, room 6

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About the Work

Viciously carnal or ascetically repentant? The depiction of the rueful sinner Mary Magdalene leaves room for both interpretations. Puvis de Chavannes’s portrayal of the penitent before a sparse landscape almost as an abstract, allegorical figure. Her sensuality is confined to her bare breast, framed by her long hair – a motif that is ruptured by the skull and her fixed gaze. At the time of Impressionism, the artist achieved clear compositions of classical grandeur.

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Last update

02.12.2024