The Penitent Magdalene by Pedro de Mena
The Penitent Magdalene
a) Context and Artist
The Penitent Magdalene is a free-standing sculpture located in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Crafted by Pedro de Mena in 1664, it stands at a height of 165 cm and is made of painted wood with additions of other materials.
Pedro de Mena y Medrano (1628-1688) was born in Granada, Spain. The son of sculptor Alonso de Mena and a collaborator of Alonso Cano, he was a prominent figure in the Granada school of art. In 1658, he relocated to Malaga after receiving a significant commission for its cathedral. While he rarely left Malaga, his work was highly sought after throughout Spain, earning him the title of sculptor for the Cathedral of Toledo. Notably, he traveled to Madrid and Toledo around 1663, where he encountered the Castilian school of sculpture, which influenced his mature style. The Penitent Magdalene is considered one of his early masterpieces from this peak period.
Commissioned by the Jesuit order to adorn their Casa Profesa in Madrid, the sculpture was created during Pedro de Mena’s brief stay in the city. This period coincided with the decline of Spain in the second half of the 17th century, marked by economic, demographic, political, and military crises. Despite the cultural isolation imposed by the monarchy, exceptional artistic and literary works emerged as the final expressions of the early Baroque’s creative flourishing. By the end of the century, Spanish culture entered a period of stagnation.
The cultural landscape was still dominated by the Counter-Reformation, a movement that had begun over a century earlier. The Jesuits and other religious institutions were major patrons of Spanish artists in the 17th century, with the Jesuits’ influence steadily growing.
b) Style and Characteristics
The Penitent Magdalene embodies the Baroque style characteristic of 17th-century Spanish religious imagery. It aligns with the Andalusian school, known for its emphasis on beauty and its tendency to avoid the harsh depictions of wounds and blood often found in the Castilian school (e.g., Christ Lying). However, this particular work exhibits a closer affinity to the Castilian school than other Andalusian sculptures.
Naturalism is a defining feature of the sculpture. The facial features and body are rendered with remarkable precision. While not conventionally beautiful, the face possesses a certain appeal. The polychrome hands and hair, depicted as wet and disheveled, contribute to the lifelike quality of the figure.
The sculpture’s expressiveness is particularly striking. The eyes, the rictus of the mouth, the hands clutching the crucifix and the chest, all convey a profound sense of sorrow. The composition is primarily vertical and sober, especially when viewed from the front. However, from other angles, particularly the sides, the work takes on an oblique quality. The Magdalene’s gaze is directed forward towards the crucifix, which extends into the viewer’s space, creating an open composition.
The simplicity of the representation is reinforced by the Magdalene’s attire—a woven palm fiber mat that covers her body, emphasizing verticality, concealing the feminine form, and conveying a sense of extreme austerity. The limited color palette, dominated by browns, further enhances the overall simplicity.
c) Subject Matter and Significance
The sculpture belongs to the religious genre and depicts Mary Magdalene, a figure from the Gospels. The Gospels contain varying accounts of one or more characters with this name. Post-biblical interpretations have shaped the character of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute who abandoned her former life after encountering Christ. She became a follower of Jesus and witnessed some of the most significant events of his life, demonstrating that she was forgiven by Christ and accepted among the elect for Glory.
According to Christian tradition, one of the most important episodes in Mary Magdalene’s life was her retreat into the desert to repent for her sins. The sculpture portrays Mary Magdalene during this period of penance, gazing at the cross and expressing remorse for her past actions. In one of his writings, St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits, advised placing one’s hand on the chest whenever committing a sin or wavering in faith. This explains why the Magdalene’s hand is positioned on her chest.
The iconographic model for this sculpture, as with many others in Spanish Baroque sculpture, was Gregorio Fernández. He was the first in Spain to depict Mary Magdalene in penitence during her desert retreat in the 1610s. Mena became familiar with Fernández’s work during his visit to Madrid, particularly at the Monastery of the Barefoot Royals.
Mary Magdalene became a symbol of forgiveness in Christianity, representing the possibility of redemption for even the most grievous sins through repentance and penance. The recognition of sin and repentance are evident in the Magdalene’s hand and face, while penance is conveyed through her attire and her retreat to the desert. The significance of the work, like all representations of this character, lies in the message that sins can be forgiven if one follows the path prescribed by the Church.
The function of the sculpture was to promote the Catholic faith in opposition to Protestant heresy. According to Catholicism, the forgiveness of sins required specific actions from the sinner, which the Church had regulated and formalized through the sacrament of confession. Protestants did not share this view.