Study for Magdalene
Giuseppe Passeri and Carlo Maratta?
Description
Subject Matter:
Drawing on paper has been an essential part of art education in Europe since the 1400s. This drawing may show the work of two artists, a master artist, Carlo Maratta and Giesuppe Passeri, who worked as an assistant in Maratta’s studio. Both artists were active in Rome. Passeri, the less experienced artist, probably drew the central figure of Mary Magdalene. Then, Maratta may have redrawn and corrected four elements from the image. The face and three parts of the drapery appear in greater detail around the edges.
Most master artists in this period worked in large studios, where assistants learned the craft through working on commissions with the master. Artists often worked with live models when making preparatory sketches for a commission. Red chalk was a particularly popular medium for life drawings. Maratta and Passeri may have worked from a model wearing a biblical costume. Mary Magdalene was a popular Biblical character in religious art. She can be recognized by her long, loose hair and rich clothing.
Usage Rights:
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.