Alabaster statuette depicting St Mary Magdalene. English, 15th century.

The crowned saint stands holding a tress of her long hair between the thumb and first two fingers of her right hand, which she holds across her breast. In her left hand she holds a cylindrical ointment box with a carved aperture which perhaps represents the lock. A strand of hair falls between her thumb and forefinger. She wears a long undergarment and short gown over which a cloak is fastened by a looped tasselled cord, held together by a toggle at her waist. The eyelids are carved. The tress of hair held in the saint's left hand is broken, the toggle is damaged and the right-hand corner of the base is missing. There are cracks on the saint's forehead and her nose has been damaged and repaired. The top of the ointment box is missing. Slight traces of darkened colour remain. The back of the figure bears four holes, three plugged with lead. The bottom has been slightly cut away. There is an incision of three parallel slanting lines.

Given by Dr W. L. Hildburgh FSA

Acquired by W. L. Hildburgh in Paris. Given by W. L. Hildburgh, 1946. On loan since 1926.

In her left hand, the Saint holds a cylindrical ointment-jar. The Gospel of Luke describes how she wet Christ's feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and anointed them with ointment.

Saints are the heroes and heroines of Christian faith. In the 14th and 15th centuries, they were a popular subject for alabaster carvings. Religious themes penetrated private life, so devotional images of saints were sculpted not only for church interiors, but also for individuals to contemplate within the privacy of their homes.

A.134-1946