Artwork
St. Mary Magdalene reading
St. Mary Magdalene reading is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Adriaen Isenbrandt. It dates from 1530 and is held in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków. The painting 'St.
About this work
Overview
The painting 'St. Mary Magdalene reading' is a 1530 oil-on-panel work by Adriaen Isenbrandt, a painter known for his traditional style during the transition to the Northern Renaissance.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a woman, identified as St. Mary Magdalene, seated at a wooden table, engrossed in a book. Her attire, including a red dress and brown headscarf, and the act of reading, convey a sense of devotion and contemplation.
Technique & Style
Isenbrandt's conservative style is evident in the use of oil paint and the focus on a single figure against a dark background, which highlights the subject and creates a sense of intimacy.
History & Provenance
The painting is now held in the National Museum in Kraków, a testament to its enduring significance as a work of the Northern Renaissance.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen Isenbrandt or Adriaen Ysenbrandt (between 1480 and 1490 – July 1551) was a painter in Bruges, in the final years of Early Netherlandish painting, and the first of the Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting of the Northern…
