Caravaggio, Martha and Mary Magdalene
ca 1598Paintings sorted by Historical period | Painter | Subject matter | Pigments used
Overview
Medium: Oil and tempera
Support: Canvas
Size: 100 x 134.5 cm
Art Period: Baroque
Detroit Institute of Arts
Accession No.73.268
One of the most convincing depictions of the biblical scene where Martha is in the process of converting Mary Magdalene to the life of faith and virtue.
Caravaggio painted it in oil but he also employed tempera in flesh tones and light areas. The pigment analysis reveals the usual palette of the Baroque period with pigments such as yellow ochre and red ochre, azurite, and copper resinate.
Pigments
Pigment Analysis of Caravaggio, Martha and Mary Magdalene
This pigment analysis is based on the work of the scientists at the Detroit Institute of Arts (1). The scientists employed x-ray radiography (XRR) and microscopic examination to gain insights into the inner layers of the painting and to identify the pigments.
1 Martha’s yellow scarf: yellow ochre.
2 Mary’s green drapery: azurite mixed with a yellow pigment (yellow ochre?) and copper resinate in the darker areas.
3 Blue-green background: azurite mixed with other pigments.
4 Mary’s violet dress: azurite mixed with red pigment (red ochre?).
5 Mary’s red robe: red ochre.
References
(1) James L. Greaves and Meryl Johnson, New Findings on Caravaggio’s Technique in the Detroit ‘Magdalen‘, The Burlington Magazine Vol. 116, No. 859, Special Issue Devoted to Caravaggio and the Caravaggesques (Oct. 1974), pp. 564+566-572+591.
Pigments Used in This Painting
Resources
Videos
Video: 'Waldemar Januszczak: Caravaggio's influence' by National Gallery London
Video: 'Caravaggio's Life and Art' by artthisweek and The Dallas Museum of Art
Publications and Websites
Publications
(1) James L. Greaves and Meryl Johnson, New Findings on Caravaggio’s Technique in the Detroit ‘Magdalen‘, The Burlington Magazine Vol. 116, No. 859, Special Issue Devoted to Caravaggio and the Caravaggesques (Oct. 1974), pp. 564+566-572+591.
(2) Frederick Cummings, Caravaggio’s Conversion of the Magdalen (The Alzaga Caravaggio), Introduction, The Burlington Magazine
Vol. 116, No. 859, Special Issue Devoted to Caravaggio and the Caravaggesques (Oct. 1974), pp. 562-564+569-570.
(3) Phoebe Dent Weil, “Technical Art History and Archeometry II: An Exploration of Caravaggio’s Painting Techniques,” Revista Brasileira de Arqueometria Restauracao e Conservacao, vol. 1, no. 3, (2007): 107. Available as pdf.
(4) Vodret, Rosella. (2010). Caravaggio : the complete works. Milan: Silvana Editoriale Fine Art Library 709.45CAR
