Saint Mary Magdalene in ecstasy, supported by two angels 1625 - 1660

Pieter de Bailliu created this engraving of Saint Mary Magdalene in ecstasy supported by two angels, an image reflecting the complex interplay of religious fervor and gendered expectations during the Baroque era. Mary Magdalene, traditionally seen as a repentant sinner, became a symbol of female spirituality, her ecstasy representing a path to redemption. In this image, we see her swooning, caught between earthly life and divine experience, her body vulnerable yet elevated by the angels. Bailliu offers a scene that invites contemplation on themes of sin, redemption, and the feminine divine. The gaze of the angels reinforces the voyeuristic nature of the piece. The contrast of light and shadow heightens the drama, drawing viewers into Magdalene's emotional turmoil. This depiction exists within a tradition of representing female saints in moments of heightened emotion, their bodies serving as sites of spiritual struggle. The intensity of her experience asks us to consider the multifaceted roles women played in the religious and cultural imagination of the time.