Unknown Artist, German, 17th century, The Last Communion of Mary Magdalene,
n.d., pen and ink with wash, 6 3/4 x 8 1/2 in., Saint Vincent Archabbey Collection.
n.d., pen and ink with wash, 6 3/4 x 8 1/2 in., Saint Vincent Archabbey Collection.
According to the Gospel of John, Mary of Magdala is said to have shared the news of Christ’s resurrection with his disciples, earning her the title, ‘Apostle to the Apostles.’ Within Christian history, the personage of Mary Magdalene remains among the most complex, due in part to the oft combined identities of three Biblical women: Mary of Magdala, Mary of Bethany and the unnamed penitent who washes Christ’s feet in the House of Simon. Tradition maintains that she withdrew to Provence committed to a life of ascetic solitude. As a result, legends developed during the early medieval period stressed her role as the model female penitent.
Responding to the widening influence of Protestant reformers, the Council of Trent (1545–1563) prompted the creation of artistic work that reaffirmed traditional Roman Catholic dogma. Subsequently, baroque artists regularly depicted scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and the saints that encouraged devotion to the sacraments as seen here. This accomplished illustration depicts an aged Mary in her cave receiving her final Communion from an angel. Mary is portrayed with flowing hair accompanied by a skull and cross symbolizing her ardent penitence. Between the two central figures, the cherub holding a cloth accentuates the liturgical practice of employing a communion plate during the distribution of the Eucharist.
Responding to the widening influence of Protestant reformers, the Council of Trent (1545–1563) prompted the creation of artistic work that reaffirmed traditional Roman Catholic dogma. Subsequently, baroque artists regularly depicted scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and the saints that encouraged devotion to the sacraments as seen here. This accomplished illustration depicts an aged Mary in her cave receiving her final Communion from an angel. Mary is portrayed with flowing hair accompanied by a skull and cross symbolizing her ardent penitence. Between the two central figures, the cherub holding a cloth accentuates the liturgical practice of employing a communion plate during the distribution of the Eucharist.
