Details
FELICE FICHERELLI, CALLED IL RIPOSO (GIMIGNANO 1605-1660/9 FLORENCE)
The Penitent Magdalene
oil on canvas
29 x 2334 in. (74 x 61 cm.)
Literature
M. Gregori and F. Baldassari, eds., Collezione Koelliker. Pittura fiorentina del XVII secolo, Turin, 2002, pp. 44-45 (cat. by S. Benassai).
F. Baldassari, La pittura del Seicento a Firenze: indice degli artisti e delle loro opera, Milan, 2009, p. 361.
S. Bellesi, Catalogo dei pittori fiorentini del 600 e 700, I, Florence, 2009, p. 145.
G. Cantelli, Repertorio della pittura fiorentina del Seicento. Aggiornamento, I, Pontedera, 2009, p. 100.
Exhibited
Milan, Marco Voena, Pittura nella Firenze di Ferdinando II de Medici, 2003.
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Lot Essay

Ficherelli painted the Magdalene on many occasions, both full-length, as in the canvas in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, and half-length, as in the present cabinet picture. The numerous extant Magdalenes vary in size and the artist’s treatment of the subject. Here, the Magdalene is shown bare-breasted, her gaze cast heavenward. She holds a book in her one hand, under which the knotted rope which she nightly used as a flagellum is just visible. Owing to the chiaroscuro, sfumato effects, and frank sensuality, Benassai dates the present work to the late 1630s, when Ficherelli came into contact with Francesco Furini (loc. cit.).

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