Maria Magdalena

This richly illustrated exhibition catalog explores the many faces of Mary Magdalene in European art, tracing her transformation from a biblical figure into one of the most compelling and complex subjects in Western religious painting and sculpture.

Through approximately 100 works spanning the Middle Ages to the present, the publication examines how artists have portrayed Mary Magdalene as a follower of Christ, a penitent sinner, a saint, and a symbol of feminine devotion and independence. Her image has inspired interpretations ranging from intense religious spirituality to sensuality and provocative representations of the female body.
The catalog brings together works by Albrecht Dürer, El Greco, Georges de La Tour, Guido Reni, Orazio Gentileschi, and Arnold Böcklin, alongside modern and contemporary artists including Max Beckmann, Marlene Dumas, and Lavinia Fontana.

Moving between religious iconography, artistic tradition, and changing social attitudes toward women, the publication reveals how representations of Mary Magdalene reflect broader ideas about faith, sexuality, repentance, and female identity across the centuries.

Edited by Bastian Eclercy and Stefan Roller, with scholarly contributions by specialists in European art history, the volume offers an interdisciplinary perspective on one of the most enduring female figures in Christian art.