A Modern Magdalen c. 1888

Editor: William Merritt Chase’s "A Modern Magdalen," created around 1888. It looks to be oil paint and possibly some gouache, giving it a rich texture. There is such melancholy mood. It feels very intimate. What story do you think Chase is telling? Curator: Story... maybe. Or perhaps Chase offers us a moment, an instant steeped in thought. She's a modern Magdalen not necessarily because she is repentant but perhaps lost in reflection, like many women then and now, in the confines of social expectations. That floral tapestry looming behind almost suffocates. It's beautiful, yet visually weighty, no? Do you feel that push and pull? Editor: I do. It’s a little claustrophobic actually. The fabrics feel so plush, yet the figure is so exposed. Almost vulnerable. Curator: Exactly! It is almost like that floral pattern and upholstered furniture are reflections of her emotional state. Perhaps trapped within her beauty, a gilded cage. Chase seems less concerned with traditional beauty ideals and more fascinated by portraying the complex inner world. Think about the Pre-Raphaelites and how this departs. Interesting to see his move toward Impressionism and the 'instant'. Editor: So you don't see this as religious? Curator: The title hints, certainly, but the real reverence here, I believe, lies in exploring the human condition, in capturing the fleeting beauty of introspection. To give grace, maybe a modern interpretation, in fact. The very antithesis to judgement. Editor: That makes so much sense! I had initially fixated on the biblical reference, but now I see a much deeper commentary. I suppose an expert like you sees everything in the painting as evidence... I should start looking harder, now. Curator: Well, hopefully I haven’t blinded you to the obvious. You do a fantastic job seeing past all the chatter, which most certainly clouds my thoughts.