Saint Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy (or Female Saint in Devotion)
Painting, portrait format, originally oil on paper or panel laid down to canvas • Attributed to Francesco Furini (Florence, 1603-1646) or his immediate circle
Style & Movement
Florentine Baroque (Seicento) characterized by lyricism and soft-focus modeling
Medium & Technique
Oil on support (canvas-backed), employing sfumato, glazing, and chiaroscuro techniques
Creation Period
Mid-17th Century (circa 1630-1650) with 19th-century restoration/lining
Dimensions & Format
90 x 70 cm (approx. 35.4 x 27.6 inches); vertical portrait format
Subject Description
A female figure in a state of religious ecstasy or divine contemplation, looking upwards with an open-palmed gesture of surrender. The composition features the soft, vaporous shadows typical of Furini's style, depicting the saint in classical robes with a blue mantle. A small cherubic figure is visible in the lower left background, enhancing the spiritual narrative.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good/Fair; recently cleaned, showing visible historical lining and some thinning of glazes
Estimated Market Value
$15,000 - $25,000 USD (as attributed)
Auction Estimate
$10,000 - $18,000 USD
Provenance History
Private collection; indicators suggest a 19th-century professional lining (laid down approx. 150 years ago) consistent with European academic restoration practices
Art Historical Significance
Furini was a leading figure of the Florentine Baroque known for his 'sfumato' and sensuous treatment of sacred subjects. This work represents the intersection of mysticism and the theatricality of the 17th-century Italian school.
Notable Features
The 'laid down' nature suggests it may have been painted on a fragile primary support originally. The frame is a notable decorative element, likely 19th-century revival style with turquoise/teal pigments and gilded floral motifs.
Condition Issues
Notable craquelure consistent with age; evidence of previous 'laying down' which may have flattened some impasto; some areas of old retouching visible under UV; slight frame abrasion and thinning in the darker pigments.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain stable humidity (45-55%) and temperature; avoid direct sunlight; periodic inspection of the 19th-century lining for adhesive failure; professional conservation grade framing.
Collector Notes
Francesco Furini - attributed to 90 x 70 plus frame 110 x 90 oil in laid down to canvas - probably 150 years ago. The painting has been recently cleaned