The artwork titled “St. Magdalene in the Desert” by Honoré Daumier, created approximately between 1848 and 1852, is an oil painting on canvas. It belongs to the Romanticism movement and is categorized as a religious painting. Measuring 41 by 33 centimeters, this piece is currently housed in the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, Japan.
In the artwork, a figure, understood to be St. Magdalene, is depicted in a state of profound spiritual longing and penitence. She is portrayed kneeling on rugged terrain, her face directed upwards in a gesture that suggests intense prayer or supplication. Her partially exposed, illuminated torso draws the viewer’s attention amidst the encompassing shadowed landscape. The dramatic play of light and shadow enhances the somber and contemplative atmosphere of the scene. A solitary cross, positioned to the left, further emphasizes the religious context, reinforcing the mood of isolation and devotion. The swirling brushstrokes and muted color palette evoke a sense of emotional intensity and turmoil, typical of Daumier’s style and consistent with the Romantic era’s emphasis on expressing deep emotional states.
