Donatello's Mary Magdalene Essay

Donatello’s Mary Magdalene was a sculpture created during the Italian Renaissance in 1455, it was placed in the convent at Santa Maria di Cestello. Donatello’s Mary Magdalene was believed to have been created for a source of hope and inspiration to repent prostitutes at Covenant Santa Maria di Castello.1 This artwork is looked at today as an example of penitence, Renaissance realism, as well as one of the most famous expressions of female emotion.2 Not only is Donatello’s Mary Magdalene known for invoking hope and inspiration into those who look upon this sculpture she is also apart of a group of the only five surviving wooden sculptures from the 15th century. Donatello was able to portray Mary Magdalene’s original appearance in his art work easily with his tendency to express externally the psychological dramas his subjects have undergone. 3 Donatello’s Mary Magdalene is the embodiment of the Italian Renaissance with Donatello’s humanist aspects, religious message, and rediscovery of learning. …show more content…
Mary Magdalene was known as a woman of sin, better known as a prostitute.4 She was also known for her beauty and long blonde hair.5 Mary Magdalene was said to have been delivered to jesus from ‘seven demons’.6 She became one of Jesus’s most ardent followers and became the leader of his female disciples. 7 Mary Magdalene, after her deliverance, became known for her knowledge and better understanding of the bible. Her teachings were stronger due to this understanding that she had unlike any of Jesus’s other disciples.8 Not only was Mary Magdalene’s teaching effected by her knowledge, her desire to live by these rules of the bible became even stronger as well.9 Even after Christ’s death Mary Magdalene proceeded a 30 year time when she had supposedly lived a solitary penitent in the