Why it matters
Mary Magdalene sits absorbed in reading, identified by the jar of ointment beside her. It is one of three surviving fragments of a large altarpiece by Rogier van der Weyden.
Did you know?
- It dates from 1435–1438.
- A cleaning in 1955–1956 revealed figures behind her that had been painted over.
- It has been in the National Gallery since 1860.
Based on the Wikipedia article The Magdalen Reading (CC BY-SA 4.0).
