Penitent Magdelene, c. 1650–65, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Spanish, 1618–1682, 48 1/2 x 42 1/2 in. ( x cm), Oil on canvas, Spain, 17th century, Tradition holds that Saint Mary Magdalene, a close follower of Jesus Christ, retreated to a cave in penitence during the final years of her life. Here, she clutches her purple robes and looks up at the bright divine light that falls upon her. Two attributes, or identifying symbols, of the saint are displayed on the rock next to her: the skull, a reminder of the inevitability of death, and the cross, a symbol of her personal devotion

---

Size: 3960px × 4537px
Location:
Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1618–1682, 1650–65, 17th, attributes, bartolomé, bright, canvas, cave, century, christ, close, clutches, cross, death, devotion, displayed, divine, esteban, falls, final, follower, holds, identifying, inevitability, jesus, life, light, magdalene, magdelene, mary, murillo, oil, penitence, penitent, personal, purple, reminder, retreated, robes, rock, saint, skull, spain, spanish, symbol, symbols, teachings, tradition, years