The Penitent Saint Magdalen c. 1620

Anthony van Dyck created this oil on canvas, *The Penitent Saint Magdalen*, during the Baroque period. Van Dyck was celebrated for his portraits of the aristocracy, yet in this piece he turns to religious themes. Mary Magdalene was a controversial figure, often conflated with other women from the Gospel. Here, her image is presented in a way that navigates themes of female sexuality, repentance, and redemption. We see the interplay between her past ‘sinful’ life and her new spiritual devotion through her remorseful gaze towards heaven. The artist uses her image as a canvas to explore the complexities of female identity within the confines of religious doctrine. The painting serves as a powerful meditation on sin, forgiveness, and the possibility of transformation. It invites us to reflect on societal attitudes towards women, sexuality, and spirituality during the seventeenth century.