Kneeling Magdalene
probably 19th century
Medium
Lead-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
Height: 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Julia A. Berwind, 1953
Accession Number
53.225.61
Tags
About this artwork
This lead-glazed earthenware figure of the Kneeling Magdalene, attributed to Barthélémy de Blénod and dated to the 19th century, represents a French ceramic tradition of religious sculpture. The piece depicts Mary Magdalene in a pose of penitent devotion, a popular subject in Christian art symbolizing repentance and spiritual transformation. Standing just under eight inches tall, this ceramic sculpture demonstrates the continued production of devotional objects in 19th-century France, even as in...
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative collection, *Kneeling Magdalene* a delicate lead-glazed earthenware attributed to French ceramist Barthélémy deénod, likely from the 19th. Standing just 7¾ inches tall, this petite sculpture captures Mary Magdalene in a posture of profound penitence—kneeling with hands clasped in devotion. As a beloved figure in Christian iconography, she embodies repentance and spiritual redemption, her image evoking the biblical story of transformation from sinner to saint. Crafted in the traditional French technique of lead-glaze...