The Ecstasy of Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene, a Christian saint popular in the 17th century, is being carried into the sky by angels. According to a 13th-century biographical account, she retired to a cave in southern France near the end of her life. Her daily prayer ritual, depicted here, included an ascent into heaven facilitated by a group of angels who carried her aloft. In the 17th century, Christians believed she was a converted prostitute (now known to be untrue). Since she was able to renounce her sin and follow Christianity, she was held as a model for those who had embraced the tenets of Protestantism and could also renounce their past and return to the Catholic Church. Francesco Albani’s mastery of the human form resulted from his training in Bologna, Italy, where artists utilized drawings made by sketching live models.