Italian school; follower of Cesare Dandini, XVII century.

Italian school; follower of CESARE DANDINI (Florence, 1596-1657), 17th century.
"Magdalene divesting herself of her riches".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Measurements: 98 x 78 cm; 130 x 109 cm (frame).
This powerful oil painting represents Mary Magdalene at the moment of her conversion, stripping herself of her jewels and riches, in a deeply dramatic and emotionally charged scene. The work, attributable to the Italian school of the 17th century, falls within the stylistic circle close to Cesare Dandini (Florence, 1596-1657), one of the most refined representatives of the Tuscan Baroque, known for his mastery in the treatment of the female figure, the theatrical use of color and elegant chiaroscuro.
Mary Magdalene, captured in a moment of spiritual ecstasy and inner transformation, appears dressed in sumptuous clothes that reveal her past of worldly vanity. However, the central gesture of the painting -as she raises one hand in a gesture of rejection or supplication while with the other she holds a necklace of precious stones that she seems about to release- evidences the moment of rupture between her old life and her spiritual rebirth. Her raised gaze, directed upwards, expresses a fervent supplication, while the face bathed in light shows a mixture of repentance, longing and grace, typical of baroque representations of pathos.
The crimson background, composed of draperies falling in deep folds, underlines the scenic and almost theatrical character of the composition. This chromatic choice not only frames the figure and dramatizes the scene, but also suggests the tension between the material world, represented by the luxuries he still carries, and the spiritual world towards which he is heading. The contrast between the luminous whites of the clothing, the golden tones of the skirt and the depth of the red background accentuates the sculptural modeling of the figure, a technique in which the Florentine school excelled.
The anatomical treatment of the body, the dynamism of the gesture and the expressive face are directly related to the Florentine Baroque canon, which, in the hands of artists such as Dandini, reached a characteristic refinement. The representation of Magdalene is not purely penitent, but almost lyrical, idealized, transforming pain into beauty and renunciation into aesthetic gesture.

Cesare Dandini was an Italian Baroque painter, active mainly in his hometown, Florence. He was the elder brother of the painter Vincenzo Dandini (1609-1675). His nephew Pietro was Vincenzo's pupil, and Vincenzo's two sons, Ottaviano Dandini and the Jesuit priest Vincenzo, also worked as painters in Florence. According to biographer Baldinucci, Cesare worked first with Francesco Curradi, then with Cristofano Allori and finally with Domenico Passignano. In 1621 he entered the Accademia del Disegno. Dandini followed the Florentine tradition of hallmarks of color and elegant, linear compositions, and his style has the polish and attention to drawing and design characteristic of Florentines such as Carlo Dolci. His pupils included Stefano della Bella, Alessandro Rosi, the landscape painter Antonio Giusti, Giovanni Domenico Ferrucci and Jacopo Giorgi.