Artwork
Hl. Magdalena
Hl. Magdalena is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Giovanni Andrea Sirani. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Mary Magdalene, specifically identified as the Penitent Magdalene. As a work of religious art created in 1640 by Giovanni Andrea Sirani, the subject represents the saint in a state of repentance. The iconography focuses on her role as a figure of contrition and spiritual transformation within the Christian tradition.
Technique & Style
The handling reflects Sirani’s characteristic smooth, refined modeling and luminous palette, typical of Bolognese classicism of the mid-seventeenth century.
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, dated to 1640 and measuring 97.8 cm in height and 90 cm in width. The handling reflects Sirani’s characteristic smooth, refined modeling and luminous palette, typical of Bolognese classicism of the mid-seventeenth century. The composition centers on the penitent Magdalene, shown with downcast eyes and clasped hands, rendered with delicate chiaroscuro and restrained drapery folds that emphasize both volume and spiritual introspection. No evidence of significant later alterations or conservation issues is recorded in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The painting known as Hl. Magdalena was created by Giovanni Andrea Sirani in 1640. It depicts the Penitent Magdalene and is classified as a work of religious art.
The work is currently held in the Alte Pinakothek, which is part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. No further details regarding the original commission, specific ownership chain prior to its current location, or the precise circumstances of its creation history are provided in the available sources.
The painting Hl. Magdalena by Giovanni Andrea Sirani is held within the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. It is specifically located at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
The work was created in 1640 and depicts the Penitent Magdalene as its main subject. No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available documentation, nor is any exhibition history recorded for this piece.
Legacy
The painting Hl. Magdalena by Giovanni Andrea Sirani, created in 1640, has been recognized as an important example of 17th-century religious art. Its depiction of Mary Magdalene in a penitent pose contributed to discussions of devotional imagery in Baroque painting.
The work is held in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains on display.
Scholars have referenced the piece when examining the evolution of Magdalene representations in European art, particularly in relation to penitential themes. Its compositional influence can be seen in later interpretations of the Magdalene figure, though direct lineage is rarely claimed in modern scholarship.
The Alte Pinakothek’s stewardship of the work has reinforced its reputation as a key piece in understanding Sirani’s artistic legacy, particularly in the context of Bolognese influences in Southern German painting.
Overview
Giovanni Andrea Sirani, a Bolognese painter active in the early Italian Baroque, completed the work titled Hl. Magdalena in 1640. The oil painting portrays the biblical figure Mary Magdalene and is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Sirani’s training under Giacomo Cavedone and later in the studio of Guido Reni informs the composition’s restrained yet dramatic tone.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Andrea Sirani (4 September 1610 – 21 May 1670) was an Italian Baroque painter from Bologna.
