Magdalen Reading c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have Christian Julius Gustav Planer's "Magdalen Reading," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The darkness is almost suffocating, yet that figure seems illuminated from within, a beacon in the gloom. What an evocative use of chiaroscuro. Curator: Indeed, the careful gradation of light and shadow creates a dynamic tension, focusing our gaze on the Magdalen and her book. The printmaking process allows for such subtle tonal variations. Editor: I wonder about the context, the labor involved in this image's production and dissemination. Was this a mass-produced item, bringing high art to a wider audience? Curator: Certainly, the composition directs us to the central figure, the gentle curve of her arm mirroring the open pages of the book. It is all quite deliberate, a study in contrasts. Editor: It speaks to the changing perceptions of women and literacy, particularly through the lens of religious subjects. Curator: Planer compels us to consider the composition as a symbolic landscape of spiritual contemplation. Editor: It is fascinating to consider the material culture surrounding images like these.