The Three Magdalenes

The Three Magdalenes, painted in 1634 and now in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, addresses a recurring puzzle in Christian iconography: the question of whether Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, and the unnamed sinful woman of Luke 7 were the same person or distinct individuals. Medieval Western tradition had merged all three into a single composite figure, while Renaissance and early modern scholars increasingly questioned this identification. Sacchi's canvas represents a devotional resolution to the problem rather than a theological argument — presenting the three as gathered together in meditation, repentance, or holy conversation. The subject allowed him to paint multiple female figures in varied poses and emotional states, a demanding compositional challenge that tested his figurative range within his characteristic idiom of controlled, lucid arrangement.

Oil on canvas, the three-figure composition required careful orchestration of poses, gazes, and drapery colours to individuate the figures while maintaining compositional unity. Sacchi's cool, even lighting prevents any single figure from dominating while ensuring each face is fully readable.