Gian Girolamo Savoldo, 'Mary Magdalene', about 1535-40. London, The National Gallery.

Saints: Saint Mary Magdalene (the Magdalen)

It is told in the Gospels that Mary Magdalene came to Christ as a penitent fallen woman. She washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and then anointed them with a precious ointment of oil of myrrh. In paintings she is generally shown with a jar of the precious ointment as her attribute.

Mary Magdalene was exorcised of seven devils by Christ and became his follower (Luke 8: 2). She is often believed to be the same person as Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, and may be shown seated at Christ's feet in pictures showing Christ in the house of Martha and Mary.

She was present at the Crucifixion and is regularly depicted as one of the three Maries, approaching the sepulchre on the morning after the Crucifixion. She was also the first person to whom the resurrected Christ appeared (with the words 'Touch me not', in Latin 'Noli me Tangere').

She may be depicted as a prostitute, in luxurious clothes and jewels, symbolising vanity. Alternatively she may be shown renouncing vanity and throwing off her finery.

After having renounced her sins she is often potrayed as a penitent in contemplation in the wilderness, with long flowing hair, covered either with a simple cloak, or naked, covered only with her hair. She is regularly depicted wearing red.

See Also

• Diego Velázquez, 'Kitchen Scene with Christ in the House of Martha and Mary'
• Rogier van der Weyden, 'The Magdalen Reading'
• Eustache Le Sueur, 'Christ on the Cross with the Virgin and Saints'
• Titian, 'Noli me Tangere'

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