Abraham Janssens II, the Younger (Antwerp 1616 - 1649) "The Repentance of Mary Magdalene" Oil on canvas Canvas cm. 107 x 87 Frame cm. 130 x 110 This double portrait of excellent quality and remarkable beauty depicts the two holy sisters Mary Magdalene and Martha. The scene, already dramatic in itself, is painted with great vigour, creating a strong emotion in the viewer. Magdalene is in the foreground, half-length and life-size, with Martha leaning towards her from behind. Iconographically, the painting is exceptionally rare. Mary Magdalene is identified as a former sinner, with magnificent long and loose hair falling down her shoulders and covering her breasts. With her head tilted to the right and her eyes glistening and looking upwards, her hands are clasped in her lap, suggesting a position of prayer. Martha turns towards her in a consoling manner, wearing a striped veil and her face completely in shadow, caught in the act of converting Mary from her life of sin to lead her to faith in Christ, wisely arguing her points to her sister. The monumentality of the main figure, the vivid colour palette and the elegant brushstrokes are all typical characteristics of the most flamboyant 17th-century Flemish painting, and all the details of the scene lead to attributing this work to Abraham Janssens II, the Younger. Having taken over his father's workshop after his death in 1632, he created a series of magnificent canvases with bright colours, with female figures of great charm and intense expressiveness. At just twenty years old, he took the title of master of the famous Guild of Saint Luke of Antwerp in 1636. Like many other Belgian and Dutch artists, Janssens later moved to Rome in 1639 to study ancient painting and the works of Caravaggio closely. He lived and worked in the city until 1649, where he shared accommodation with the Dutch landscape painter Johannes Lingelbach. Janssens, having worked at a very young age in his father's workshop, obviously followed the style of his namesake father, an important painter from Antwerp at the beginning of the 17th century, but even more evidently the message of Peter Paul Rubens, like most Flemish artists of that era. In this work, presumably painted in Rome in the 1640s, the colour palette, the shine of the garments and the volumetric virtuosity particularly attest to the influence of the great Master, but the references to Caravaggio in the violent chiaroscuro and to Guido Reni in the more delicate notes of the composition should also be emphasised, testifying to the Author's stay in Italy. The painting stands out not only for its first-rate pictorial qualities, but also for its excellent state of conservation, without restorations or overpainting. A beautiful lacquered and gilded Baroque frame perfectly completes the canvas. We issue a stamped and signed certificate of authenticity which guarantees the period, provenance and all the characteristics of the work, drawn up by an antique dealer affiliated to FIMA (FEDERAZIONE ITALIANA MERCANTI D'ARTE - ITALIAN FEDERATION OF ART DEALERS). Delivery in Italy and throughout Europe within 3 days of receipt of bank transfer. The shipment is tracked and insured and travels with careful shockproof packaging inside a custom-made wooden case. Negotiable price and personalised payment. All the details of the painting on the private website - link: https://www.antichitaischia.it/it/prodotto/-il-pentimento-di-maria-maddalena-