St. Mary Magdalene
End of the 16th century
Detail from the Retable of SS. Justina and Rufina
Divine Savior Collegiate Church, Seville, Spain
The sculpture is in the upper register of the retable. It portrays Mary Magdalene as a contemplative, beweeping her sins and with a skull and book at her left shoulder. To judge from the position and curl of her left hand, it may have held a crucifix at one time. The book and skull perch on a ledge of stone that references the legend that the saint passed the final stage of her life in a cave. In the foreground is the ointment jar that serves as this saint's attribute.
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Photographed at the church by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.