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Description: | The Bolognese painter Guido Reni (1575-1642) was praised by Malvasia (1678) for his depiction of 'those blond and wavy volumes one sees so marvellously well done in his Magdalens and Sibyls'. The Glasgow Magdalene is thought to be a copy after a Magdalene now in the Almagia Collection in Rome (Spear, 1972), (oil on canvas, 175.5 x 135.5 cm). The figure of Magdalene seems based on a lost 'prototype' , the composition of which we know since the same model was used in a full figure depiction (Cathedral of Volterra, 1633-34, after a design by Reni) with only small differences in the position of the hands and the attributes. After Ludovico Carracci's death in 1619, Reni became the principal Bolognese painter, leading a large studio with many assistants. It is known that Reni had abbozzi (sketches) of the most popular compositions in his studio which could be repeatedly used as models. His assistants also copied his works which he often finished with some final retouching. The Glasgow painting can be placed in this workshop context. | Subjects: | religion (Mary Magdalene); figure | Source: | Vads | Creator: | Artist: Reni, Guido (Italian painter and draftsman, 1575-1642) Æ Attributed to studio of | Identifier: | http://www.vads.ac.uk/large.php?uid=8818... | Go to resource |
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