Why it matters
Donatello carved Mary Magdalene as a gaunt, emaciated figure after years of penance in the desert. Its unprecedented realism astonished viewers.
Did you know?
- It is carved from white poplar wood.
- It was probably made for the Florence Baptistery.
- It is now dated to around 1440, much earlier than once thought.
Based on the Wikipedia article Penitent Magdalene (Donatello) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
