Magdalene Penitent

Magdalene Penitent

Artist	Donatello
Year	c. 1453-1455
Type	Wood
Dimensions	188 cm
Location	Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence

"Magdalene Penitent" is a wooden sculpture by the Renaissance Italian artist Donatello, executed around 1453-1455. Executed likely for the Baptistery of Florence, it was received with astonishment for its unprecedented realism. It is currently housed in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence.

The wood used by Donatello is that of White poplar.

History

Documentation about the work is scarce. The Renaissance art historian Giorgio Vasari mentions it a work with no flaws and a perfect anatomy. Executed by Donatello when he was more than sixty years old, after he had spent a decade in Padua. The dating has been established indirectly, basing on that of a copy from Neri di Bicci's workshop (now in the Museum of the Collegiate of Empoli), known to be from 1455.

The original destination is not exactly known. In 1500 it was in the city's baptistery. According to an Italian historian, it was seen by Charles VIII of France in the 1480s, when he was camped with his army near Florence.

The work was damaged by the 1966 flood of the Arno River. A program of restoration was finished in 1972.

Sources

• Cavazzini, Laura (2005). Donatello. Rome: Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso.