Tiziano Vecelli - The Penitent Magdalen 1555-1565
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The Penitent Magdalen 1555-1565
108x94cm oil on canvas
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, United States
The image is only being used for informational and educational purposes
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From J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles:
This painting of a repentant Mary Magdalene lifting her teary eyes to heaven was meant to inspire a greater spiritual devotion at a time when Catholicism was being challenged by the Protestant reformation. Owing to the popularity of the subject, Titian and his workshop made at least seven versions of this painting. X-rays of the painting revealed that Titian made numerous changes to the composition, suggesting that he used this canvas to work out his ideas over a considerable period of time. This Getty painting is unique because it is the only composition that shows the Magdalene's Bible resting on a cloth-covered support rather than a skull--a symbol used to invite contemplation of death.