Follower of Jan Gossaert (Jean Gossart), 'The Magdalen', early 16th century
About the work
Overview
Saint Mary Magdalene is identifiable here by her halo and her emblem – the pot of ointment with which she anointed Christ’s feet. The pot seems to show scenes from classical mythology. On the lid, one woman carries another through water – perhaps the goddess Diana helping her mother across the strait to Delos, where she gave birth to Diana’s twin Apollo. On the main part of the pot is Mercury in his winged hat. The two cows below him are perhaps Admetus' cattle, which were herded by Apollo and stolen by Mercury. Why these myths are associated with Mary Magdalene is totally obscure.
Though abrasion makes it difficult to distinguish the true style of the head, the heart-shaped face, wide-open eyes and bowed upper lip are close to some of Jean Gossart’s types, and the lock of hair brought forward in front of the ear is found in a number of his female figures. This painting was perhaps made by a follower during Gossart’s lifetime or shortly after his death.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Magdalen
- Artist
- Follower of Jan Gossaert (Jean Gossart)
- Artist dates
- active 1508; died 1532
- Date made
- early 16th century
- Medium and support
- oil on wood
- Dimensions
- 29.3 × 22.1 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bought, 1907
- Inventory number
- NG2163
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Frame
- 16th-century Netherlandish Frame with Later Interventions (original frame)
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Lorne Campbell, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Netherlandish Paintings: With French Paintings before 1600’, London 2014; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Exhibition history
-
2010Jan Gossaert's RenaissanceThe Metropolitan Museum of Art6 October 2010 - 17 January 2011The National Gallery (London)23 February 2011 - 30 May 2011
Bibliography
-
1945Davies, Martin, National Gallery Catalogues: Early Netherlandish School, London 1945
-
1955Davies, Martin, National Gallery Catalogues: Early Netherlandish School, 2nd edn (revised), London 1955
-
1987Davies, Martin, National Gallery Catalogues: The Early Netherlandish School, 3rd edn, London 1987
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
-
2014
L. Campbell, National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Netherlandish Paintings: With French Paintings before 1600, 2 vols, London 2014
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
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