Saint Mary Magdalen
Ugolino di Nerio·1320
Historical Context
This depiction of Saint Mary Magdalen by Ugolino di Nerio, dating to around 1320, is likely another fragment from his monumental Santa Croce altarpiece. The Magdalene's prominence in Franciscan spirituality — as the exemplary penitent and witness to the Resurrection — made her a natural inclusion in an altarpiece for Florence's great Franciscan church. Ugolino's portrayal emphasizes her beauty and sanctity in the refined Sienese manner inherited from his master Duccio.
Technical Analysis
Tempera and gold on panel with the Magdalene shown in a three-quarter view, her long hair flowing as her traditional identifying attribute. The delicate facial modeling and sinuous contour lines reflect Ugolino's training in Duccio's workshop, while the tooled gold ground provides a luminous backdrop.
