Mary Magdalene 1772

Editor: Here we have Domenico Cunego's "Mary Magdalene," a monochrome print held at the Harvard Art Museums. There's a real sense of drama, a saint with... well, quite a lot on display. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Ah, yes, a fascinating print! It's a tender depiction of repentance, isn't it? Notice how Cunego contrasts the earthly and divine, the suffering Magdalene and the cherubic figure above. Her bareness is vulnerability, and the landscape echoes her inner turmoil. What do you make of the text along the bottom edge? Editor: Interesting! So it's not just a pretty picture, but a study in contrasting elements? I'll definitely look closer at that inscription. Curator: Precisely! Art whispers its secrets if you're willing to listen.