The Magdalen c. 1515

This is a limewood sculpture of the Magdalen, attributed to Jorg Syrlin the Younger, made in Germany in the late 15th century. During this period, the figure of Mary Magdalene was undergoing a transformation. Often depicted as a repentant sinner, she came to embody a broader spectrum of female experience and spirituality. Her story, marked by both transgression and redemption, resonated in a society grappling with questions of gender, morality, and faith. The downcast expression and the simple lines of her garment evoke a sense of humility and introspection. The box she is holding, traditionally interpreted as an ointment jar, serves as a poignant reminder of her act of anointing Jesus, a gesture of devotion and tenderness. The artist invites us to contemplate the complexities of female identity, the possibilities of transformation, and the enduring power of faith and love.