Mary Magdalen in the wilderness
ca. 1613–14
Medium
Etching; second state of three (Hollstein)
Dimensions
Plate: 5 3/16 × 4 1/16 in. (13.1 × 10.3 cm) Sheet: 5 13/16 × 4 7/16 in. (14.7 × 11.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1927
Accession Number
27.82.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 17th century, Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens collaborated with Dutch engraver Willem Pietersz Buytewech to *Mary Magdalen in the* (ca. 1613–14), a poignant etching capturing the penitent saint in contemplative solitude. Rubens, renowned for his dynamic and sensual figures, likely provided the design, while Buywech executed the meticulous etching—a technique where acid etches intricate lines into a copper plate, allowing for rich tonal effects and subtle textures ideal for expressing spiritual depth. This second state of three (per Hollstein catalog) measures a intimate plate si...
About the Artist
Peter Paul Rubens|Willem Pietersz. Buytewech · 1577–1640
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...