St. Mary Magdalene hunting before her conversion

The Master of the Legend of the Magdalene painted this Saint Mary Magdalene Hunting Before Her Conversion around 1510, depicting the saint in the apocryphal tradition of her worldly life as a noblewoman before her repentance. The hunting scene represents Magdalene's pre-conversion life of aristocratic pleasure, contrasting with her later penitential desert retreat. The subject was rare in northern European painting and reflects the growing interest in the complete biographical narrative of major saints—including their worldly lives before conversion as well as their holy practice afterward. This Brussels master's treatment shows his ability to move beyond the standard devotional saint portrait into more narrative territory, depicting the energetic aristocratic world that the Magdalene would abandon for spiritual solitude.

The scene of the Magdalene's worldly life before conversion allows for the depiction of fashionable costume and courtly pursuits. The Brussels workshop style is evident in the detailed rendering of textiles and the elegant figure type.