Mary Magdalene - the bible's most controversial and enigmatic figure - has piqued the imaginations of artists, writers, philosophers, and scholars for nearly two thousand years. Our search for the true story and character of the mysterious female disciple of Jesus spans centuries and continents, and has led us into the darkest recesses of religious history, where we continue to uncover clues that both provide answers and raise yet more questions. Her mystery and allure has inspired hundreds of works of art and text, from the reverential, to the romantic, to the sublime. Now comes a book which takes us on a visual and literary journey from the ancient past to the present day, through the history and the lore, the facts and the myth, that surround Mary Magdalene.
Beginning with the biblical canon, continuing through the Gnostic texts, and ending with the myths and literary works about the Magdalene, editor Jane Lahr presents a kaleidoscopic picture of her life, leaving the reader to decide who the true Magdalene was. This expansive collection of material tells the stories of Mary the sinner, Mary the beloved disciple, Mary the companion of Jesus, Mary the prostitute, and Mary the mourner. Poetry proclaims her as the every woman, biblical verses recall her at the house of Simon the Pharisee, hymns sing of her on the morning of the Resurrection, and historians hypothesize about her connection to the Grail.
With such a variety and quantity of magnificent paintings and sculptures in her likeness, it is apparent that Mary Magdalene has long been inspiring the minds and brushstrokes of history's greatest artists, all of whom have rendered her differently from every other woman in the bible. Unlike Mary the mother - who is often expressed as an archetype, an ideal - the Magdalene is virtually always portrayed as an individual, a woman of flesh and blood with feelings and emotions. Even in the earliest depictions she is seen at the foot of the cross, in deep crisis at the loss of her Beloved. It is as if these painters carried her in their hearts and depicted her with utter honesty and compassion. Even when the clerics devalued her, the artists continued to be her champion.
Both rare and iconic images from Rubens to Chagall are paired with texts that span the ages, making this lavish anthology the most stunning and revealing look at the Magdalene ever published.
