Female Figure (Penitent Magdalene?) [verso] 

Donato Creti rendered this delicate drawing of a penitent female figure with pen and brown ink. The bowed head and clasped hands speak of grief and repentance, motifs we see echoed across centuries. Consider the weeping figures of antiquity, their faces obscured by sorrow, or the medieval depictions of Mary Magdalene, her hair unbound as a symbol of remorse. This gesture of covering and framing the face has been seen for centuries, even as the meanings have changed. Here, in Creti’s image, we see it used to evoke a specific emotional state, engaging viewers on a subconscious level. It's more than mere illustration; it's a profound articulation of sorrow, a concept that resurfaces through time, evolving yet retaining its core emotional power.