Maria Magdalena zalft de voeten van Christus 1551

Curator: Today we’re looking at Lambert Lombard's engraving, "Maria Magdalena zalft de voeten van Christus," created in 1551. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: The immediate impression is stark; it's all tightly rendered lines and dramatic contrast between light and shadow. There’s an emotional weight, a tension in the figures. Curator: It certainly captures a charged moment. This print depicts Mary Magdalene anointing Jesus’ feet. Notice the reactions of the other figures at the table; they’re recoiling, questioning her act. In a time when women were relegated to subservient roles, Magdalene challenges social hierarchies through her intimate act of reverence. Editor: That’s what I see too. Lombard's expert control of line creates a believable spatial environment and defines form while producing a hierarchy. All these gazes direct us to the key elements – the kneeling Mary, and Christ whose authority the gazes interrogate, which gives shape to our viewing experience and the painting’s focal points. Curator: Exactly! This isn't simply a religious scene; it's a potent commentary on power, piety, and gender dynamics. Lombard, by portraying Magdalene so prominently, elevates her status in this sacred narrative, subtly critiquing the patriarchal norms of his time. It is, as such, deeply intersectional. Editor: The artist is in command of visual story-telling to convey a moment rife with implied narrative potential. He's given us the scene in the best possible clothes for dramatic intent. Note, for instance, the detailed architecture in the background or the draping fabrics—nothing feels accidental. The contrast in dark and light intensifies the moment. Curator: What resonates most for me is how Lombard transforms a biblical event into a platform to reflect on female agency and the disruptive power of genuine faith in the face of social conventions. His choice to make an engraving too reflects the time’s democratizing influence; that is, engravings, because easily reproducible, afforded ordinary people access to images and ideas. Editor: Agreed. From a technical perspective, the expert handling of the medium amplifies the intended message, the composition's clarity, and dramatic deployment of contrasting light. It all makes for compelling viewing. Curator: Indeed. Lombard invites us to consider the socio-political currents beneath the surface. It is no accident that he portrays her in such a light and no mistake that we still react to the historical implications of this work today. Editor: Absolutely; looking closer at the sum of its parts heightens the intended emotional depth in his image making and what is for you, as well as others, the intersectional implications of its moment.