Mary Magdalene Repentant, Circle of Abraham Van Diepenbeeck, 17th Century Flemish Oil on Copper, Framed

Mary Magdalene Repentant

This oil on copper depicts Mary Magdalene in a posture of prayer, her eyes open and her hands crossed. The figure is rendered against a dark background that isolates the subject and draws attention to the modeling of the skin and the fall of light across the figure. The small format of the copper support allows for fine detail in the rendering of the face and hands. The painting bears an attached monogram AD, and a cartouche on the back attributes the work to Abraham Van Diepenbeeck. An expertise label from Cabinet Turquin in Paris is present on the reverse, indicating the work has been examined by a recognized authentication authority. The painting is presented in its frame.

About Abraham Van Diepenbeeck (1607-1675)

Abraham Van Diepenbeeck was a Flemish painter, draughtsman, and stained glass designer born in 's-Hertogenbosch in 1607. He trained in Antwerp and became a master in the Guild of Saint Luke in 1636. Van Diepenbeeck worked closely with Peter Paul Rubens and was influenced by his compositional approach and handling of light. After Rubens's death in 1640, Van Diepenbeeck continued to work in the Antwerp tradition, producing religious paintings, mythological scenes, and designs for prints. He was also active as a designer of stained glass windows for churches across the Southern Netherlands. His oil paintings on copper are noted for their refined technique and careful attention to light effects on small-scale figures. Van Diepenbeeck died in Antwerp in 1675.