Saint Mary Magdalen 1336 - 1370

Editor: This is Bartolo di Fredi’s "Saint Mary Magdalen," a tempera and gold on panel piece, made sometime between 1336 and 1370. I’m struck by the quiet sorrow in her face, and how the gold leaf catches the light. What stands out to you in this painting? Curator: The figure of Mary Magdalene was very politically charged in the medieval period. What was she repenting *from*? How was that represented by the church and state to control the social perception of women in general? The symbol of the ointment jar, prominently displayed, visually reinforces her story, focusing on repentance and absolution, a narrative actively promoted by the church at that time. Does the fact that she has a halo impact your viewing of the figure? Editor: It does… it’s a little confusing actually. I guess I associate halos with...other figures in the Bible. I hadn't really considered how loaded images can be for those seeing it for the first time then, or even now, in different contexts. Curator: Consider where this panel might have been displayed. A wealthy patron’s private chapel? A public space? These placements heavily dictated how viewers engaged with the image and how the painting itself was understood. The placement and function really informed its meaning for people then. And thinking about art history is not simply an exercise but also directly related to the public. The act of display politicizes images like this. Editor: That's fascinating. So much more than just a pretty face, right? Thanks for making me consider not just what I see, but why I'm seeing it this way and where something like this would have been seen originally. Curator: Absolutely, thinking about context and the forces at play, the production and reception of such artworks offers insight into social and cultural histories that inform how we experience visual art.