Repentant Mary Magdalene

Francesco Hayez has been the greatest exponent of the Italian Romanticism. Thanks to his virtuosity he managed to modify Canova's sculptures poses, which represented his model, accentuating the fleshliness of the figures. With this process, he aimed at representing a more earthly ideal of beauty, that somehow recalls Tiziano's paintings. In this work, Magdalene's left foot is audaciosly placed in the foreground, while the background is covered by a woodland landscape. The Saint is ecstatically looking at the sky after having abandoned her vest and urn. The white and blue draperies additionally contribute to magnify the beauty of Magdalene's skin while her long golden hairs fall on her shoulders.