Saint Mary Magdalene and an Angel
Painting on canvas, rectangular format with an octagonal painted border • Circle of Simone Pignoni or Follower of Francesco Furini (Florentine School)
Style & Movement
Late Baroque (Tuscan / Florentine Baroque)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, employing chiaroscuro, subtle glazing in the flesh tones, and broad impasto brushwork in the highlights of the drapery.
Creation Period
Late 17th Century to Early 18th Century (circa 1680-1720)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 75 x 60 cm (excluding frame); vertical portrait format.
Subject Description
The painting depicts Mary Magdalene in a state of religious ecstasy or penitence, gazing upward. She is accompanied by a young angel or putto holding an ointment jar (alabastron), her traditional iconographic attribute. The composition uses a dark, atmospheric background common in Late Baroque devotional works to emphasize the emotional intensity of the subject.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good. The work shows signs of significant age, including surface dirt, oxidized varnish, and visible craquelure throughout.
Estimated Market Value
USD 4,000 - 7,000
Auction Estimate
USD 3,000 - 5,000
Provenance History
Unknown; stylistic traits suggest a Continental European origin, likely Italy. The frame appears to be a later 19th or early 20th-century 'Salvator Rosa' style reproduction.
Art Historical Significance
The work reflects the enduring influence of the 'sfumato' and emotive style popularized by Francesco Furini and his followers in 17th-century Florence. It represents the transition from the dramatic chiaroscuro of the mid-Baroque to the softer, more decorative sensibilities of the early 18th century.
Notable Features
The painted octagonal 'spandrels' in the corners are a distinctive feature intended to create a sense of architectural framing within the canvas itself. The rendering of the Magdalene's hands and the angel's face show a high degree of technical competence characteristic of a professional workshop.
Condition Issues
Visible surface grime and yellowed varnish; extensive stable craquelure; potential areas of old retouching near the top corners where the octagonal border meets the frame; minor abrasions along the sight edge.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning and varnish removal; consolidation of any lifting paint layers; light surface retouching (inpainting) where necessary; UV-filtered glass and climate-controlled environment.