The Penitent Magdalene,

ca. 1660–65

With its emphasis on repentance and piety, the subject of Mary Magdalene—a former sex worker who became one of Jesus’s most ardent followers—appealed to both Protestants and Catholics in the Dutch Republic. The grotto setting refers to Mary’s self-isolation in the wilderness, the extinguished candle to the transience of life, and the new leaves growing from the gnarled tree to her redemption through prayer and repentance. Despite the ostensive message to forsake earthly pleasures, Mary’s exposed breast reflects an ulterior appeal to Dou’s largely heterosexual male patronage, primed by biblical context to see her as a sexual object.

Dou painted at a small scale using a highly refined, time-consuming technique, often depicting townspeople situated in open windows or dimly lit interiors. His meticulous style invites close looking and contemplation, well suited to the sensual and meditative subject of the Magdalene.