Mozes en een treurende Maria of Maria Magdalena 1500 - 1510

This drawing of Moses and a weeping Mary Magdalene was made by an anonymous artist, its date unknown. The study juxtaposes two figures heavy with the weight of religious significance, and offers us a glimpse into the complex intersections of religious, gendered, and emotional identities. To the left, we see Moses kneeling, his face upturned as he receives the Ten Commandments. To the right, Mary Magdalene, draped in fabric, is overcome with grief. Both are seminal figures, Moses as law-giver, Mary Magdalene as a devoted follower, and these sketches offer a poignant study of their faith. They are both outsiders, each struggling with faith. The artist captures the psychological depth of these figures, inviting us to reflect on our own place in the world. It asks us to consider the personal dimensions of faith, how belief shapes our understanding of ourselves and our relationship to society.