The Penitent Magdalen before 1709

Editor: Here we have Nicolas Legendre’s "The Penitent Magdalen," made in bronze before 1709. The figure appears almost asleep. How would you interpret this sculpture? Curator: I see a potent example of the commodification of religious sentiment in the Baroque era. Consider the process of casting bronze. This wasn’t some solitary, devotional act. It involved workshops, specialized labor, and the very real economics of the art market. Editor: So, you're saying the production impacts how we view it? Curator: Absolutely. Look at the sensuality Legendre infuses into the figure. It catered to the tastes of wealthy patrons who, through commissioning works like this, were consuming not just art, but also a specific kind of pious image manufactured for their enjoyment. Editor: It’s interesting to think of it that way, almost as mass production of faith. Does the material itself, the bronze, add to this interpretation? Curator: Certainly. Bronze was costly, a display of wealth. This Magdalen isn't just repenting; she's repenting in style, thanks to the labor involved in mining, smelting, and casting that bronze. How does viewing it in terms of material impact how we assess “erotic-art”? Editor: That flips it, it's no longer solely about the aesthetic experience, but a complex equation of faith, sensuality, and economic power. It makes you question the sincerity embedded in the artwork. Curator: Precisely! By examining the means of production, we unpack layers of social and economic context often overlooked in traditional art historical analysis. I will reconsider "mass production".