Mary Magdalene In Penitence And Saint Jerome In The Desert, Italy, 18th Century

18th Century, Pair of Italian Paintings by Follower of Alessandro Magnasco
Depicting Mary Magdalene in Penitence and Saint Jerome in the Desert
Oil on canvas
Dimensions: Frames: cm H 46 x W 59.5 x D 5; Canvas: cm H 37 x W 50

This pair of oil paintings depicts Mary Magdalene in penitence and Saint Jerome in the Desert, and can be stylistically attributed to a painter active in the 18th century in the Ligurian region, a follower of Alessandro Magnasco (Genoa, 1667–1749).
The two biblical subjects, taken from the New Testament, are set in landscapes typical of Italian painting from the 17th and 18th centuries, featuring imposing rocks, streams, tall trees, mountains fading into the horizon, and skies marked by vaporous clouds.
Mary Magdalene, also known as Mary of Magdala, is depicted in traditional penitential iconography, with hands clasped in prayer, long flowing hair, and a cross to which she directs her supplications. Saint Jerome is represented as a penitential hermit in the desert, covered only by a red mantle. The multifaceted figure of Saint Jerome—hermit, penitent, cardinal, and a distinguished humanist of the 4th-5th centuries, who translated the Bible into Latin—was considered the supreme example of harmony between classical knowledge and Christian virtue. As such, he was a subject particularly beloved by a refined and learned audience, often depicted in small-scale works like those presented here, intended for private devotion.
The paintings are housed in 19th-century lacquered wooden frames.