Mary Magdalene in the desert (Meditation)
1869
oil
From the collection of Kröller-Müller Museum
1869
oil
From the collection of Kröller-Müller Museum
This painting depicts a woman standing in a desert landscape, holding a skull in her right hand. She has long, waist-length hair and wears a long, brown dress that exposes her shoulders. A halo, or aureola, surrounds her head. The woman's gaze is directed downward, and her left hand is placed over her chest. The background of the painting features a rocky, barren landscape with a blue sky above. The artist's use of chiaroscuro, a technique that emphasizes contrasts between light and dark, adds depth to the scene. To learn more about the artist who created this work, look up Pierre Puvis de Chavannes.
