Penitent St. Mary Magdalen

Giampietrino (Gian Pietro Rizzoli)

Download hi-res image TITLE Penitent St. Mary Magdalen
AUTHOR Giampietrino (Gian Pietro Rizzoli)
DATE c. 1520
OBJECT TYPE AND MATERIAL Oil on panel
DIMENSIONS cm 50 x 60
INVENTORY 454
ROOM XII
Work on display

Giampietrino was one of the longest-lived perpetuators of Leonardo’s tradition. A major part of his output consisted in pictures for private use depicting the sensual Magdalens, goddesses and heroines from the Bible and ancient history much appreciated by cultivated private patrons, as we can see from this luminous Magdalen, unspoilt by penitence, given to the Brera in 1835 by Giulia Beccaria, Cesare’s daughter and the mother of writer Alessandro Manzoni.