Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy

A legend claims that after Jesus' death, Mary Magdalene ended up in the south of France. She lived in a cave and had mystic daily meetings with God, apart from thinking about her sins.

Her experiences were traditionally depicted with angels carrying her into the clouds. But in the days of Artemisia Gentileschi they were also shown as intense inner experiences, following an influential painting by Caravaggio.

The painting is not dated. The visible influence of Caravaggio in the use of light and darkness suggests Artemisia made it in the first half of her career.

It was presented at an auction in 2014.