The Magdalen
ca. 1830
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
3 11/16 x 3 3/4 in. (9.4 x 9.5 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Gloria Manney, 2006
Accession Number
2006.235.298
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, *The Magdalen* (ca. 1830) is a delicate watercolor miniature on ivory by Anne Hall, an acclaimed American artist renowned for her exquisite portraiture. Measuring just 3 11/16 x 3 3/4 inches, this intimate work depicts Mary Magdalene, the biblical figure often portrayed in art as a symbol of repentance and redemption. Hall draws inspiration from Guido Reni dramatic Baroque original, adapting the Italian master's composition into a luminous, jewel-like format suited to 19th-century tastes. Watercolor on ivory was a prized miniature tec...