Mary Magdalene 1628

Orazio Gentileschi’s oil painting ‘Mary Magdalene’ captures the saint in a moment of contemplative repose. Painted with oils on canvas, the artist manipulates the viscosity of the paint to achieve different effects, from the smooth flesh tones to the rough texture of the rocks. He builds layers of thin glazes to create luminosity, while thicker impasto layers bring depth and form to the drapery. This material contrast gives the painting a remarkable dynamism. Mary Magdalene, reclining in a cave with a skull and a book, is swathed in a brown cloth. The making of textiles like this was labor-intensive in the 17th century, from growing and harvesting the fibres to spinning the threads, weaving the fabric, and dyeing it. Gentileschi’s refined and skilled application of the oil paint, a precious material, evokes the value of the craft production in rendering the cloth. Paying attention to the making and materiality of the painting enriches our understanding of the value and context of the image.