Workshop of Master of the Magdalen Legend, 'The Magdalen Weeping', about 1525

A weeping woman, shown in profile, holds a large and intricately carved pot. This is Saint Mary Magdalene, one of Christ’s followers, identifiable from the pot of expensive ointment with which she anointed Christ’s feet. This painting was once joined to another panel, and was probably the left wing of a triptych, presumably showing the Lamentation or pietà.

Mary’s dress is cloth-of-gold with a purple design. Over it, she wears a second dress, open at the front and laced across the other under her breasts. The upper sleeves, now green, were once purple. Her shift escapes in a multitude of small puffs through slashes in the fabric. Her fair hair is covered with a patterned cap and two veils, one semi-transparent, one white. The colourful clothes and expensive textiles allude to her sinful past, although the sleeves and shape of the veil bear some relation to contemporary fashions. A rosary made of coral and glass beads circles her neck, with a large jewelled pendant hanging from it. People often wore rosaries round their necks at this period, though rosary-necklaces are rarely shown in art.

We don't know the name of the artist but he is called the Master of the Magdalen Legend after a large triptych, now broken up, showing episodes from the life of Mary Magdalene, probably painted in the mid-1520s. This painting is close to the triptych in style, so they were probably made at around the same time in the same workshop. The Magdalen was also made in the artist’s workshop, but it is smaller and of lesser quality.