Inside the Saint-Nicolas church in Blois, I saw and took pictures of this statue, not really knowing if it was new, old, famous, or what. It turns out to be a 17th century work by an unknown artist. It's an example of the Madeleine repentante theme in Counter Reformation art. The 16th and 17th century Counter Reformation is also known as the Catholic Reformation or the Catholic Revival.
This Madeleine repentante ("penitent Mary-Magdelene") has recently been restored. According to an article I read in the local Nouvelle-République newspaper, the statue was in bad shape and in 2015 was sent to Tours for restoration by a specialist named Delphine Bienvenut. The restoration was supposed to take about six months and was, according to the newspaper, to be un simple lifting (just a facelift).
Instead, Delphine Bienvienut discovered traces of polychromatic paint on the stone statue. A different kind of restoration was required, and a six-month project stretched to four years. The Madeleine repentante has now been restored to its original pink-cheeked splendor. However, though the original statue was known to show Mary Magdalene holding a human skull in her left hand (another well-known theme), the whole left arm was determined to be un-restorable. The statue was given a new, more prominent placement in the église Saint-Nicolas when it was taken back to Blois in early April of 2019.
Happy Bastille Day!
I'm baffled by the title of this statue. Strange attitude, or posture of the body, if you like, for showing repentance or humility?
ReplyDeleteLook at this example of a Madeleine repentante in a painting by a 17th century Italian artist (scroll down the Wikipédia page to see it and read about it).
DeleteHere are two articles about the Madeleine repentante that appeared this year in the regional Nouvelle Republique newspaper: 1 and 2
DeleteIn the referred painting, Mary Magdelene is face down and not face up as is this statue. Here, Mary Magdelene looks more as being in ecstasy than anything else!
DeleteSeventeenth century paintings, and art in general, are very theatrical. In the nineteenth century, my grandfather treated this particular theme in a much more subdued fashion. His Marie Madeleine shows repentance and contrition. I'll send it to you if I can find it!
Thank you for the interesting links. But no info about why it is a repentante!
It seems that one of the key elements or conventions making it a Madeleine repentante was the human skull that this Madeleine held in her now-missing left hand. Or maybe the people in Blois just have it all wrong.
DeleteWikipédia : L’iconographie de Marie-Madeleine est traditionnellement déclinée en deux modes. Le premier la représente en ermite dans le désert, après la mort du Christ ; femme séduisante, non dénuée de sensualité, une longue chevelure ondoyante couvrant sa nudité, elle prie ou médite, avec ses habituels attributs du repentir, crâne, croix, livre biblique.
Madeleine changes from being a wealthy sybarite who comes to God, into a prostitute who finds God. I think the 'repentant' bit comes from the switch to the second which was a much more judgemental view of her and women in general. When she was a sybarite she was an example to all those wealthy 16C merchants and aristocrats who told them they could keep all their wealth in good conscience, so long as they honoured God.
DeleteAnyway, the statue is very fine. I have no recollection of ever having seen it, and the restoration campaign explains why. I take an interest in Madeleine, so would undoubtedly have photographed her if I'd encountered her. Now she's back I must do so. She will make a good counterpoint to the one in St Denis in Amboise (who is reading, and not in the 'repentant' mode -- way to flimsily clothed for that).
I think Madeleine's pose here indicates she is looking up toward god and heaven, praying.
DeleteAs soon as I saw this statue it made me think of Bernini’s Saint
DeleteTherese’s ecstasy here.
chm -- yes, now that you mention it. I knew it reminded me of something.
DeleteI wonder if the statue in Amboise is by the same sculptor. They look very much alike even though the posture is different. There is an ointment jar (pot au rose with both of them, even though they look different.
ReplyDeleteBoth statues are multi-colored.
The unguent jar is one of her standard symbols, signifying that it was her who prepared Christ's body for burial. The two statues are different in style really, and several generations apart in age.
DeleteI would love to see chm's grandfather's Marie Madeleine, if he sends you a photo :)
ReplyDeleteI think this might be it: Charles-Henri-Michel — Marie-Madeleine. CHM, am I right?
DeleteYes, it is. It was given by my father in 1951 to the Musée Alfred-Danicourt at Péronne from which this site picked it up.
DeleteIt is not as refined as the final product -- I have no idea where it could be -- but what is called une étude aboutie or advanced study, if you want. Which means it is exactly as the final version will look like. This kind of study is usually somewhat smaller than a potential final original.
I didn't realize Madeleine is Magdalene in English. I wish the skeleton head was still there.
ReplyDeleteYes it is. Me too. :^)
DeleteI'm guessing this is marble? Even though I know many classical marble statues and buildings (including the Parthenon) were painted, I prefer the plain marble. The coloration here is a bit strong.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to chm's grandfather's work. It's nice.
It's limestone, according to one of the NR newspaper articles.
DeletePS every time I hear mention of an art work being restored, I can;t help but think of this: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-19349921
ReplyDeleteLOL, Yes, I've seen that before!
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