The Penitent Magdalene

Louis-Joseph Courtat

France, 1847-1909

Oil on board

25 x 20.75 in.

Mori and Jacobson Collection

“The Penitent Magdalene” is Mary Magdelene who repented of her sinful life and became a follower of Jesus. After his crucifixion, according to Christian tradition, she retreated to the wilderness to live out the rest of her life without bodily comforts, as penance for her past life. The rocky setting of the painting suggests the harshness and solitude of the environment in which she lived while her near-nakedness tells of her rejection of the rich clothing, jewels and perfumes she used in her earlier life; sometimes she is shown with only her long, ragged hair as a covering. The book she reads may be one of the gospels of the life of Christ, or it may be a book of religious law, reminding her of the transgressions in her past. The skull lying nearby is a sober symbol of mortality: earthly beauty vanishes, and vanity is shallow, leading only to death.

A Parisian by birth, Courtat studied at France’s premier art academy, the École des Beaux Arts, and enjoyed a successful career, exhibiting in prestigious exhibitions such as the annual Salon. His refined and polished style was popular in the 19th century, especially when compared with that of the fragmented, broken brushstrokes of the Impressionists. Courtat’s painting here is a copy of a highly regarded work by the Dutch artists, Adriaen van der Werff (1659-1722) and his brother and assistant, Pieter van der Werff (1665-1722). The original is in the Louvre where it is given a title which emphasizes the isolation and self-denial of Mary Magdalene (Sainte Madeleine méditant dans la solitude). Making copies of Old Master paintings was a common practice in the past; often it was a way to learn how to paint or to give homage to an older artist. It may be that Courtat painted this picture when he was still a student.