Parure, parfum, pavane : le regard genré et deux Madeleine de Carlo Crivelli

Abstract

The two Mary Magdalens that Carlo Crivelli painted for the Franciscans in the latter 15th C, now at Montefiore del'Aso and Amsterdam, are some of the most popular works of the Veneto-Marchesan painter. Their mannered graces, elegant and elaborate array, and sidelong glances intrigue the viewer who might expect a different appearance from a penitent prostitute. This paper examines how these choices are meaningful within the artistic and devotional traditions of Venice and the Marches, specifically within a Franciscan context, but also how they bear specifically on the period notions of Mary Magdalen, less as penitent than as a sort of sainted seductress. In the course of my argument, I examine how the perfume of the the Magdalen is pictured, with special attention to the possibility of picturing danse with regard to the Rijksmuseum image, while exploring the notion of the gendered gaze.

Keywords

• Carlo Crivelli
• Franciscan art
• perfume
• gendered gaze
• courtesan
• dressing