This Penitent Magdalene with a Crucifix is a workshop variant of a composition devised by El Greco in his Toledo studio in the late 1580s. Its emotional charge and theatrical lighting aligned with the heightened mysticism and Counter-Reformation ideals that shaped the artist’s final decades in Toledo.
The present painting corresponds to the so-called Sitges type, after the version in the Museu Cau Ferrat, and relates closely to other variants in the Museo de Santa Cruz in Toledo, the Fundación Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid, and the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts. Given the number of closely related workshop variants, its provenance prior to the 20th century cannot be securely reconstructed (see H.E. Wethey, loc. cit.).
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Property from the Hispanic Society Museum to Benefit the Collection Care and Acquisition Fund
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Condition report
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The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
Despite a number of unrestored losses, this painting presents generally well overall. The varnish is largely clear and saturates the pigments. The canvas has been wax lined and is mounted on a keyed stretcher, with good adhesion between the original and the lining canvases.
Inspection under ultraviolet light shows several notable areas of restoration, including retouching to the flesh tones of the Magdalene and in areas of the background. The losses appear to have resulted from mechanical damage, possibly from the canvas having been rolled at some point in its history. There are holes and punctures visible in the original canvas, along with small tears, such as one running approximately three inches vertically at the upper left.
Other passages remain well preserved and present attractively, including areas of the reddish-orange drapery and the figure of Christ on the crucifix. Portions of the background, such as the sky and the plants at upper right, are also well preserved.
The signature at the lower left is abraded but remains mostly legible. It appears to be original, as the craquelure runs consistently through the inscription and the surrounding paint layers. Examination under ultraviolet light shows that the signature appears to have been selectively cleaned and possibly strengthened in places.
The painting is structurally sound, however cleaning and restoration would likely improve its legibility.
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