16th century Venetian School Magdalene in the desert Oil on panel, 30 x 35 cm With frame, 48 x 53 cm The roots of the legend of Magdalene in the desert lie in the Golden Legend of Jacopo da Varagine, a 13th-century work that collects the lives of the saints. In this narrative, Magdalene, after the resurrection of Christ, retreats to the desert of Provence, where she leads a life of penance, fasting, and prayer. The image of the woman who isolates herself from the world to purify her soul captures the collective imagination and becomes a powerful religious archetype. The present depiction, probably originally part of a larger composition, depicts a moment of deep reflection and prayer by the saint. With her head resting on one hand, she seems lost in her thoughts and reflections often linked to death and resurrection, the transience of life, and the futility of earthly possessions. Beside her, in a landscape that can already be recognized as desert from the few connotations, which becomes the symbolic place of solitude, trial, and purification, the cross can be seen, the first testimony of her Christian devotion. Venetian art of the 16th century, with its masters such as Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese, offered a particularly rich and complex revisitation of the iconography of the penitent Magdalene in the desert. In this context, the figure of Magdalene is transformed from a simple allegory of repentance to a subject of great fascination and complexity, reflecting the cultural and artistic transformations of the period. Titian is one of the greatest interpreters of the figure of Magdalene. In his works, the saint is no longer just a symbol of penance, but becomes a sensual and fascinating figure. Tintoretto, with his dynamic and dramatic style, offers a representation of Magdalene that is more restless and tormented. His figures are often immersed in an intense and contrasting light, which underlines their interiority and their emotions. The present work, clearly influenced by the examples of the greatest masters of the 16th century Venetian art, also seems to look at the art of Francesco Montemezzano (Verona, 1555 - 1600), and his more incisive and tormented language. With Ars Antiqua it is possible to delay all amounts up to a maximum of € 7,500 at ZERO RATE, for a total of 15 INSTALLMENTS. Ex. Tot. € 4,500 = Monthly installment € 300 for 15 months. Ex. Tot. € 3,600 = Monthly installment € 720 for 5 months. For amounts exceeding € 7,500 or for a longer period of time (over 15 installments), we can provide a personalized payment. Contact us directly to get the best quote. TV LIVE – SUNDAY 17.00 – 21.00 Dig.terr. 126 - Sky 824 – Streaming on our website www.arsantiquasrl.com and on our social media Facebook and Youtube All the works proposed by Ars Antiqua are sold with a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the law and an accurate in-depth sheet. You can see the works directly at the Milan showroom gallery, in via Pisacane 55 and 57. We personally organize transport and delivery of the works, both for Italy and abroad.