Six Penitent Saints: St. Mary Magdelene

Published in Rome, 1573 Cort’s image of Mary Magdelene repentant in the wilderness is from his series Six Penitent Saints engraved after paintings by Girolamo Muziano (1532 – 1592). She is depicted with long hair standing before a crucifix alone in a rocky landscape with wild vegetation. Cornelis Cort was a Netherlandish engraver born in Hoorn near Alkmaar in 1533. He was active in Flanders and left Antwerp for Italy in 1565, working first in Venice and then in Rome from 1571. He was closely associated with Titian, he lived at his house in Venice from 1565-66 and engraved a number of prints after his paintings. Cort also probably worked for the Medici family while living in Florence from 1569 – 71. A later impression on laid paper, a couple of light stains, old central crease expertly repaired. Provenance: The Berry Collection, Melbourne