Magdalen

George De La Tour was a lost master who was rediscovered in the 20th century. He was born on March 13, 1593 in the town of Vic-upon- Seille, in Lorainne. He is the second son out of seven. It is not known where he studied or where he spent his youth.. Influenced by Caravaggio, he created paintings in the chiaroscuro style. He devoted himself mainly to the representation of genre and religious subjects, both in day scenes as well as nocturnal ones. One of those many paintings was, “Magdalene with the Smoking Flame” (1638-1640). He received a commission to paint a piece for the Council of Trent. It met as a response to the Protestant Reformation. Their goal was to use art to teach religious stories and virtues. Mary Magdalene was to be portrayed as a repentant who had become enlightened. The painting was to show her moment of turning away from sin. La Tour’s concern was simplicity, realism, and essential detail. His goal was to portray her as something more than religious propaganda. The symbols used throughout the painting help carry out his goal. Mary Magdalene was once a sinner; a prostitute, who was exposed to the compassion of Christ. She renounced her pleasures of flesh for a life of penance. She was traditionally depicted as an aged woman or living in a cave. In De La Tour’s painting she is portrayed sitting in a dark room in a contemplative state. The absence of a detailed narrative emphasizes Mary's present state of mind and heart rather than what she once was. La Tour is able to draw us into a different side of her that many tend to miss. The simple composition helps us enter her inner world, while the darkness around her helps to emphasize the enlightenment represented by the candle. The candlelight can symbolize many things: for example the contrast between the spiritual darkness of this world and her inner enlightenment. The symbolism also emphasizes this new outlook on Mary. The skull present in the painting represents mortal life, and