Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Alessandro Tiarini (Bologna, 1577–1668) Circle of
Mary Magdalene Penitent in the Desert
Oil on canvas (78 x 97 cm. - Framed: 92 x 110 cm.)
The painting depicts a captivating Mary Magdalene, a much-loved subject typical of Baroque religious iconography, capable of combining religious mysticism with profound emotional expressiveness.
The saint is portrayed full-length, reclining languidly on the ground inside a cave—the traditional setting for her hermitage—capturing the exact moment of her repentance.
Her face is framed by long brown hair that falls softly over her shoulders; her gaze, filled with pathos and marked by an expression of intense emotion, is directed upward as if seeking a divine dialogue.
In her right hand she clutches a wooden crucifix, the focal point of her meditation, while with her other hand she cradles a skull in a protective embrace—a classic iconographic attribute of the memento mori; at the same time, she holds up her garments, which would otherwise leave one breast exposed, thus balancing the mysticism of penance with the feminine sensuality that has always been associated with her figure.
If we now observe the painting from a stylistic and compositional perspective, the languid yet chaste pose of our saint, the expressive features of her face, and the three-dimensional rendering of the drapery are stylistic elements that allow us to attribute the work to the 17th-century Bolognese school.
The painting displays a chromatic exuberance accompanied by a highly expressive face, reminiscent of the artistic output of Alessandro Tiarini (Bologna, 1577 –1668), a celebrated master of the Bolognese Baroque school influenced by the classicism of the Carracci, leading us to hypothesize that it was created by a skilled painter from his inner circle.
Mary Magdalene’s face, in particular—characterized by large eyes, parted lips, and a sorrowful yet composed expression—fully aligns with the typical physiognomic and emotional stylization of Tiarini’s female figures and saints.
The striking contrast between the deep blue of the cloak and the ochre yellow of the tunic—which creates a strong visual impact—is typical of the painter’s palette, designed to imbue the scene with a profound sense of dramatic and sentimental mysticism.
In the lower right corner, the monogram “PVB” is clearly legible; this most likely refers to a signature yet to be deciphered, linked to a copyist or collaborator in the painter’s workshop, or it could be the monogram of a Nordic artist working in the Italian style, influenced by the 17th-century Emilian school, who executed the painting based on Tiarini’s models.
The painting is sold complete with an attractive gilded frame.
Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
