The Repentant Magdalen

Artist: Charles Le Brun

Title: The Repentant Magdalen 

Date: 1655

Medium: oil on canvas

Provenance: Louvre Museum ( Paris France)

Source: http://www.religious-art.org/The-Repentant-Magdalen-1655.html

Describe: a woman in the center of the painting, her figure forming a tryangle, in her luxurious dress and surroundings having an epiphany. She seems to be having a moment of great revelation and distraught. Colors being used are blues, greens, reds, and yellows. Most of the painting is dark, but light brightening up the woman.

Analyze: the value is diverse with dark and light colors throughout the painting. The lightness of the woman and lines forming her body draws the eye towards her face, sorrow. Primary colors are used: blue, red, and yellow. Form is used as a 3D illusion that the woman is bigger than the buildings in the back. The balance is symmetrical because the woman in the middle which puts the weight even on each side because of her clothes.

Interpret: because the eye of the viewer goes to the woman's face, I think it represents her revelation of what she has done wrong. The woman also surrounded by luxurious items, which I think represents how she was too wrapped up in material goods. The light is used to direct the eye to the woman and make her the focal point of the painting. the mood is set by the different colors of gloom and suffering.

Judge: The painting shows the event of change and realization of wrong doing. I think the artist accurately portrays the expressive intent of the artist with the facial expression and colors. Since it covers all of that, I think the painting is very well developed