Penitent Magdalene

My name is Isabella, and I will be your guide today through one of our most impressive paintings: Artemisia Gentileschi's Penitent Magdalene! Isn't that a long name? It's okay if you can't say it perfectly. This painting is super old – it's from 1629! That's a really, really long time ago. Can anyone guess how old that is? nn

--- nn Now, let's look at the painting. See the lady? That's Mary Magdalene. She's thinking really hard. She looks a little sad, doesn't she? What do you think she's thinking about? nn

--- nn Look at her clothes. They're dark brown and purplish-brown. They're kind of like the colors of chocolate and plums! Do you like those colors? Why do you think the artist chose these dark colors for her clothes? nn

--- nn See how the light shines on her face and hands? It's like a spotlight! That's called "tenebrism." It's a fancy word for how the artist uses light and shadow to make the painting more dramatic. It makes her face and hands seem really important, doesn't it? nn

--- nn And look! There's a skull under her hands. A skull is a reminder that we all die someday. It makes us think about life and what's important. What do you think is important in your life? nn

--- nn Artemisia Gentileschi was a very talented artist. She was a woman, and it was hard for women to be artists a long time ago. But she was amazing! She painted this picture so beautifully, showing us how she felt about life and sadness. What do you think she wanted us to feel when we look at this painting? nn

--- nn This painting is small, but it has a big story to tell. It's like a secret whispered to us from a long time ago. It's a story about feeling sorry for things you've done, and thinking about life and death. It's a very powerful painting, even though it's small. What do you think is the most interesting part of this painting? nn

--- nn So, what did you think of Penitent Magdalene? I hope you enjoyed learning about it! Remember, art can make us think and feel lots of different things. Now, let's go see some more amazing art!