Magdalene Murals in the Chapel at St. Baume

Mary Magdalene preaching (late 1940s). Montenard. Chapel, St. Baume. Image courtesy of Magdalineage.com.

Mary Magdalene with open arms (late 1940s). Montenard. Chapel, St. Baume. Image courtesy of Magdalineage.com.

Mary Magdalene at the Grotto (late 1940s). Montenard. Chapel, St. Baume. Image courtesy of Magdalineage.com.

Mary Magdalene raised by angels (late 1940s). Montenard. Chapel, St. Baume. Image courtesy of Magdalineage.com.

Magdalene's Iconography, between Passion and Melancholy

The following article by Pino Blasone is from Scribd.com:
Magdalene's Iconography

Magdaleneʼs Iconography by Pino Blasone

Magdalenes by Ribera

Mary Magdalene in the Desert (1641). José de Ribera. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Image courtesy of Wikimedia.


Penitent Magdalene. José de Ribera. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Image courtesy of Art.com.


Penitent Magdalene (c. 1638-1640). José de Ribera. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Image courtesy of Wikimedia.


Assumption of Mary Magdalene (1636). José de Ribera. Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Madrid. Image courtesy of Wikimedia.

De Ribera's painting of Mary Magdalene in the Desert has been one of my favorites for a long time. From Wikipedia:

Jusepe de Ribera (01/12/1591 - 09/02/1652) was a Spanish Tenebrist painter and printmaker, also known as José de Ribera in Spanish and as Giuseppe Ribera in Italian.

He was also called by his contemporaries and early writers Lo Spagnoletto, or "the Little Spaniard." Ribera was a leading painter of the Spanish school, although his mature work was all done in Italy.

The Magdalene also appears at the foot of the Cross and at Christ's feet in the following paintings by de Ribera:


Crucifixion (c. 1620). José de Ribera. Collegiata di Osuna, Osuna. Image courtesy of Wikimedia.


Pietà (1637). José de Ribera. Museo di San Martino, Naples. Image courtesy of Wikimedia.

Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Secrets of Mary Magdalene. Dan Burstein and Arne J. De Keijzer. Image courtesy of Amazon.com.

Every once in a while I like to recommend a book or DVD that I find interesting, entertaining, or informative in some way. From the publisher's description:

Continuing in the tradition of the New York Times bestselling Secrets of the Code, the latest book from the team, Secrets of Mary Magdalene, brings together world class experts from different faiths, backgrounds, and perspectives, to discuss the most thought-provoking new ideas and original thinking about Mary Magdalene. All of the contributors to Secrets of Mary Magdalene are well-known and highly respected authors whose books have sold more than five million copies in total. Never before has such a wide range of fascinating ideas and new scholarship about Mary Magdalene been collected in one book that is so timely, popular and accessible.

Burstein also has a DVD that goes with the book.



Recently I came across the trailer for this DVD on Youtube and thought I would add it. There was also an interview with author Dan Burstein.