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The Vision of Saint Mary of Egypt

  • oil paint, canvas
  • 74.9 x 124.7 cm
  • Inv. 1931-AI

Public Domain

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St. Mary of Egypt was a Courtesan from Alexandria who lived in the fourth and fifth centuries. Out of sheer curiosity she went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. She was about to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre when a mysterious force held her back. This lead her to repent, and to redeem her sins she retreated to the desert where she became a hermit. Although the legend originated in Egypt it soon became popular throughout Europe. In the Middle Ages the cult of Mary of Egypt coincided with that of Mary Magdalene. The Vision of St. Mary of Egypt shows us the moment when Mary repents. This is an oil sketch based on the altarpiece of the same title by Luca Giordano in the church of Santa Maria Egiziaca in Naples, probably painted by his workshop. Although Giordano worked mainly in his native city, he also accepted important commissions in Spain. His work is characterised by powerful contrasts of light and dark and flamboyant brushstrokes.

Artist

Luca Giordano RKD
Naples 1632 - Naples 1705
follower of

Title The Vision of Saint Mary of Egypt
Period 17th century
18th century
Location Italy TGN
Collection paintings AAT
Object type oil paintings (visual works) AAT
Inventory number 1931-AI
Acquisition credit gift
De Noever (coll.)
Brussels
1931
Current whereabouts Work on display
Permalink https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1931-AI
IIIF Manifest https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/1180/manifest.json
Art & Architecture Thesaurus 300055874 religious symbolism AAT
Keywords Iconclass 11D12 the cross ~ symbols of Christ Iconclass
11F4 Madonna: i.e. Mary with the Christ-child Iconclass
11HH female saints Iconclass
11HH(MARY OF EGYPT) the penitent harlot Mary of Egypt (Maria Aegyptiaca); possible attributes: long hair, three loaves Iconclass
11HH(MARY OF EGYPT)34 personal devotion of St. Mary of Egypt - vision(s), mystic marriage of female saint Iconclass
22C light Iconclass
22C2 artificial light Iconclass
22C311 nimbus, halo ~ radiance emanating from persons or things Iconclass
22C8 shadow Iconclass
26A clouds Iconclass
26E2 lightning, flash of lightning, thunderbolt Iconclass
31A234 squatting, crouching figure Iconclass
31AA233 kneeling figure - AA - female human figure Iconclass
48C161 column, pillar ~ architecture Iconclass
School / Style Baroque AAT
Naples school
Italian School
Museum van Schoone Kunsten : Catalogus ; Oude Meesters, Schilderstukken, teekeningen, plaatsneden (met geschiedkundig overzicht) / Maurice Dupuis, Georges Charles Nicolas Marie Hulin de Loo, Fritz Van Loo. - Gent : Drukkerij F. De Vos, 1938 ; Gent : Stad Gent, 1938 (p. 61)
Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent = Museum of Fine Arts Ghent / Claudie De Guillebon, Jacques Ostier, Robert Hoozee, Monique Tahon-Vanroose. - Parijs : Association des Amis de "Musées 2000", 1989 (p. 63 (ill. 112))
Antoon van Dijck / Jan Pieter Ballegeer. - [s.l.] : [s.n.], [s.a.] (p. 342, 753)
Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent = Museum of Fine Arts Ghent / Claudie De Guillebon, Jacques Ostier, Robert Hoozee, Monique Tahon-Vanroose. - Parijs : Association des Amis de "Musées 2000", 1989 (p. 63 (ill. 112))
Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : Catalogus schilderkunst ; Deel I: 14de - 18de eeuw ; Deel II: 19de - 20ste eeuw / Robert Hoozee, Johan De Smet, Bruno Fornari, Ruth Monteyne. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2007 (dl. I, p. 94-95 (ill.))
Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : De collectie (tentoonstelling vanaf 21 maart 2021) / Johan De Smet, Bart Ooghe, Frederica Van Dam, Lieven Van Den Abeele, Cathérine Verleysen. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2021
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Gand : La Collection (exposition dès le 21 mars 2021) / Johan De Smet, Bart Ooghe, Frederica Van Dam, Lieven Van Den Abeele, Cathérine Verleysen. - Gand : Musée des Beaux-Arts de Gand, 2021
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