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Saint Mary Magdalene
This figure of Mary Magdalene, identified by the ointment jar, is probably from a group of the Three Marys at the Tomb. On Easter morning, the women approached the tomb of Christ in order to anoint the body. Mary Magdalene's surprise at finding the tomb empty is delicately expressed by her raised right hand and backward step.
Such carved wooden statues came from a church interior. Most statues of this type were originally covered by gesso (a mixture of glue and plaster of Paris) and then painted in vibrant colors, with some details gilded; only traces of these decorations still remain.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Henry Walters, Baltimore, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 4/10/1974 | Treatment | repaired; loss compensation; other |
Geographies
Germany, Ulm (Place of Origin)
Measurements
46 7/8 in. (119 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Centre Street: Third Floor: 15th-Century Art of Northern Europe
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
27.297