GEORGES DE LA TOUR, c.1640

Despite dating to the 17th century, the work of Georges de la Tour feels remarkably modern. Bold, clearly defined forms are a hallmark of his style, and he is best known for painting candlelit renditions of Christian subjects. The Penitent Magdalene is one such example. It takes its meaning from the Bible stories surrounding Mary Magdalene, who is believed to have left behind a life of sin in order to follow God. As the title of the painting suggests, De la Tour chooses not to focus on repentance, the act of turning away from sin, but rather on penitence, the remorseful state of mind which leads a person to repent.

Mary Magdalene faces away from the viewer, denying an objectifying gaze, and does not look into the mirror before her but off into the distance beyond it in a gesture which rejects vanity and signals a higher form of self-reflection. She wears no finery and several pieces of jewellery lie discarded around her, visualising her decision to put an end to the sinful and indulgent lifestyle she was living. As the sole light source, a burning candle imbues the scene with a meditative atmosphere and gives De la Tour an excuse to employ his characteristic chiaroscuro technique. The flame symbolises Mary Magdalene’s newfound spiritual enlightenment, while the melting wax alludes to the brevity of human life, as does the skull she holds in her lap.

By contrasting ideas of spirituality with those of mortality, De la Tour reflects on Christian beliefs about the afterlife, specifically the notion that penitence is the first step toward salvation and eternal reward in heaven. The Penitent Magdalene not only attests to the faith of De la Tour who was himself a Christian working during a period of religious revival in his home-town of Lunéville, but is also an invitation to the viewer to ponder what spirituality means in the context of their own life too.