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Notes
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The painting’s subject has been the matter of much debate but it is now believed to show the conversion of Mary Magdalene. In western Christianity since the Middle Ages, Mary Magdalene was considered to be a promiscuous woman or a prostitute.
Martha takes her sister Mary to the Temple to hear Jesus preach as she is worried about her spiritual health. Overcome by Christ’s words, Mary blushes with shame and sinks to her knees. Mary is converted by her encounter with Christ and turns to a life of piety. The jewellery slipping from her neck suggests her decision to reject worldly things and become a follower of Christ.
Title
The Conversion of Mary Magdalene
Date
about 1548
Medium
Oil on canvas
Measurements
H 117.5 x W 163.5 cm
Accession number
NG931
Acquisition method
Wynn Ellis Bequest, 1876
Work type
Painting