Study of a Magdalen

Study of a Magdalen, painted around 1845 and now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, addresses one of the most frequently depicted subjects in European art — the penitent Mary Magdalene. Etty's treatment combines the sensuous figure painting for which he was celebrated with the religious subject matter that provided a traditional justification for depicting the female nude. The Magdalene's simultaneous beauty and penitence offered artists a culturally sanctioned framework for painting attractive women in states of undress. Etty's late version demonstrates the rich Venetian coloring and confident handling of flesh that he maintained throughout his career, even as his health began to decline in the years before his death in 1849.

Etty's warm, Venetian palette renders the Magdalene's flesh with luminous, glowing tones. The hair and drapery are painted with broader, more flowing strokes that frame the figure, while the face is modeled with softer, more delicate brushwork. The rich, painterly surface shows Etty's mature handling at its most accomplished.