Who was Mary Magdalene? Her portrayals through paintings and art

Mary Magdalene is one of the most intriguing figures in Christian history and has been portrayed in many different ways. Some say she was a sinner, others say she was a saint, some others say she changed overtime and became spiritual, and there are many more interpretations.
But in the most basic understanding, she was a follower of Jesus Christ. She was present when Jesus was on the cross, at his burial, and, most importantly, she is said to be the first person to see him after his resurrection.
And here we mention 5 artists and their art that portray Mary Magdalene.

One of the most famous and iconic paintings of Jesus and Mary Magdalene is this one. It shows the moment when Mary Magdalene sees Jesus Christ after his resurrection, and Christ can be seen asking her to not come too close.
The painting is soft and calm without many dramatic elements, but it does show a stern look on Jesus’s face, and a helpless one on Mary’s. She extends her arms towards Jesus, but cannot touch him owing to his position.(Image: brant.law/Instagram)

Another painting of the same moment is Correggio’s. But one can notice more of a movement and a sense of dejection on Mary’s face.
The painting shows Jesus pulling away slightly, while Mary is kneeling, her hands reaching out toward him in a dramatic move. The background is lush and filled with nature, adding a feeling of rebirth, which creates a warm, peaceful energy.
On Mary’s face is helplessness as she stares towards Jesus, but Jesus remains stern even here.

(Image: theartistschateau/Instagram)

A painting that shows Mary Magdalene in a very personal, intimate moment is this one. She is sitting alone in a dark room that is lit only by a candle. She appears to be deep in thought, looking directly at the flame, and on her lap is a skull, which she rests one of her hands on.
Her posture is calm, but thoughtful, and the painting has exceptional use of light and shadow, making it look realistic and almost as if the viewer is looking at a photograph.(Image: ladamealicorne/Instagram)

Caravaggio has painted two iconic paintings of Mary Magdalene. One is ‘Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy’ and the other is ‘Martha and Mary’.
It shows Mary Magdalene sitting with her sister Martha, probably in their home, and Martha looks like she is trying to convince Mary to change her ways. Mary is dressed in fashionable clothes and looks a bit distracted, trying to argue and reason with her sister, while the other looks at her with wide eyes. (Image: michel_de_sainte_marie/Instagram)

Artemisia Gentileschi was one of the few successful female painters of the Baroque period, and she brought a whole new life to stories, art, and more. In her painting, she shows Mary Magdalene with eyes red with tears, and her face full of freckles. Her hand is on her chest, she is wearing a flowy yellow dress. There is no glamour, no decoration, but just plain, raw emotions. (Image: shuabenari/Instagram)