Discover the saint, sinner, witness and icon who has fascinated artists and audiences for centuries.
Mary Magdalene is one of history’s most frequently depicted female figures, but her identity has always been complicated by mystery and myth.
She is portrayed in the Bible as one of Jesus’ closest followers and the first witness to the Resurrection. Yet, her story has been popularly framed as that of a sinner redeemed by faith.
Over centuries, her image has been continually reshaped to reflect changing ideas about women's authority, sexuality and faith, turning a Gospel witness into a figure of desire, devotion and debate. But when does her story become more the story of the societies that retell it?
From Renaissance panel painting through to contemporary sculpture, follow the making, unmaking and reimagining of her reputation.
See paintings from the National Gallery’s collection including works by Carlo Crivelli, Annibale Carracci and Giovanni Girolamo with works from our partners’ collections alongside three loans: ‘Saint Mary Magdalene in the Desert’, 1869, by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes from the Städel Museum, Frankfurt, and recent works, 'The Tower (Mary Magdalene)’, 2022, by Jesse Jones and ‘The Map’, 2021, by Alice Maher and Rachel Fallon, that explore Mary Magdalene’s continuing significance today.
On display during 2027 across the UK, the exhibition visits the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, the Millennium Gallery, Sheffield and Auckland Palace, Bishop Auckland.
