Who painted Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands?

Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands was painted by Domenico Fetti in 1606.

Where can I see Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands?

Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands is held by Bavarian State Painting Collections.

What movement is Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands?

Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Artwork

Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands

Domenico Fetti , 1606

Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Domenico Fetti. It dates from 1606 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.

About this work

Technique & Style

Domenico Fetti executed this work in oil paint on wood panel, measuring 157 cm by 104.

Domenico Fetti executed this work in oil paint on wood panel, measuring 157 cm by 104.5 cm. The painting portrays Mary Magdalene in a moment of penitential reflection with her hands clasped, rendered through layered brushwork that emphasizes chiaroscuro and intimate emotional expression. Its composition and handling reflect early 17th-century Italian Baroque tendencies, particularly the naturalistic depiction of religious figures in devotional settings.

The artwork remains part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, housed in the Alte Pinakothek, where it is preserved as a canonical example of Counter-Reformation imagery.

History & Provenance

Domenico Fetti created the oil painting Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands in 1606. The work depicts the religious figure Mary Magdalene in a moment of penitence. Currently, the painting is held within the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is located at the Alte Pinakothek.

Overview

Domenico Fetti, an early‑Baroque painter who worked in Rome, Mantua and Venice, completed the oil painting Penitent Magdalene with clasped hands in 1606. The work is part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection in Munich and belongs to the religious genre typical of the period.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a solitary female figure identified as Mary Magdalene. She sits in a dim interior, her dark hair framing a pale, solemn face. Her hands are pressed together in a gesture of prayer, suggesting penitence and contemplation.

Context

Fetti’s work reflects the emerging Baroque interest in dramatic lighting and emotional intensity, aligning with contemporary Counter‑Reformation aims to evoke personal piety. The portrayal of Mary Magdalene as a penitent figure was a common motif, used to illustrate themes of redemption and spiritual renewal.