Magdalen Reading
- Artist: Follower ofPiero di Cosimo (Artists)
- Date: (circa) 1500 - 1520
- Medium: oil on panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the Magdalen Reading by a follower of Piero di Cosimo. The work dates from around 1500‑1520 and is executed in oil on panel, a medium that allows subtle layers of color and depth. The artist clearly absorbed the Florentine master's interest in delicate detail and quiet mood, yet adds a personal touch.
In the scene, Mary Magdalene sits alone, her face illuminated by a soft, almost reverent glow. She holds a book open, suggesting contemplation and the quest for knowledge. Her hands are poised over the pages, fingers slightly trembling, adding an element of vulnerability. The background is minimal, drawing the viewer’s eye to the woman’s serene concentration. Notice the subtle play of light across her gown, a hallmark of the period’s oil techniques, and the gentle gradation that hints at early Renaissance experimentation with chiaroscuro.
The painting’s modest scale invites a close examination; you can see the careful brushwork that defines the follower’s style—tight, expressive strokes that echo Piero di Cosimo’s delicate realism. It’s a quiet moment captured in time, reflecting the era’s fascination with inner spirituality and the power of reading as a spiritual act.
See it in person
Magdalen Reading hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
