| The Conversion of Mary Magdalene | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Paolo Veronese |
| Year | 1545–1548 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 163.5 cm × 117.5 cm (64.4 in × 46.3 in) |
| Location | National Gallery, London |
| Owner | National Gallery, NG931 |
The Conversion of Mary Magdalene is an oil painting, an early work by the Italian Renaissance artist based in Venice, Paolo Veronese (1528–1588). He was known for his sumptuous paintings with a dramatic and colourful style. Dating from circa 1545–1548, when he was still in his teens, the painting was probably commissioned by a noble patron in Verona.[1] It is now in the National Gallery in London.
The scene that the painting depicts is an event that is not described in the Gospels or the Golden Legend, and reflects the widespread beliefs at the time that, firstly, Mary Magdalene and Martha were sisters, living together, and secondly that Mary Magdalene was the woman mentioned elsewhere in the Gospels who had lived a life of sexual sin, perhaps a prostitute. Furthermore, Mary Magdalene is the first individual to whom Christ reveals himself following his death. In other medieval and Renaissance art, she is often depicted in the cemetery, attempting to reach out and touch him, but failing to do so.[2] Today these are seen by most Christians, including the Catholic Church, as three different women, with Mary of Bethany as Martha's sister.
- ^ "The magnificence of Veronese". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ Olszewski, Edward J. (2007). "The Sexuality of Mary Magdalen in Renaissance Oblivion and Modern Recollection". Notes in the History of Art. 27 (1): 14–21 – via JSTOR.