Martha and Mary Magdalene - Caravaggio
Archival giclée
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Description
A dramatic Baroque oil painting by Caravaggio, capturing the moment of conversion between Martha and Mary Magdalene through light and shadow.
Painted around 1598, this work depicts a moment of conversion. Martha, on the left, gestures towards her sister, Mary Magdalene, who sits at a table. The composition focuses on the psychological exchange between the two figures. Martha is shown in the act of persuasion, her expression earnest, while Mary Magdalene appears contemplative, holding a small orange blossom.
Caravaggio employs his characteristic use of chiaroscuro to define the forms. A single light source from the upper left illuminates the figures against a dark, indistinct background. This technique directs the viewer's attention to the textures of the clothing, specifically the red sleeve of Mary Magdalene and the heavy green fabric draped over the mirror. The mirror itself, reflecting a soft light, acts as a symbol of vanity, which Mary is in the process of renouncing.
On the table, a small bowl containing a sponge and a comb are placed, further reinforcing the theme of worldly vanity being set aside. The figures are rendered with a high degree of naturalism, typical of the artist's approach to religious subjects. He avoids idealised features, choosing instead to portray the sisters as tangible, human individuals. The painting is housed in the Detroit Institute of Arts. It remains a clear example of the artist's early Roman period, where he began to experiment with dramatic lighting and domestic settings for biblical narratives. The focus remains on the internal state of the subjects rather than grand, external action.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
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Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
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- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
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Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Martha and Mary Magdalene - Caravaggio
Artist Biography
Caravaggio
Before the killing, he had already transformed European painting. He arrived in Rome from Milan in the early 1590s, hungry and unknown, and within a decade had developed a method of painting from life, using strong directional light against deep shadow, that made the prevailing Mannerist style look theatrical and empty. He used real people as models: prostitutes, street boys, labourers. His saints had dirty feet. The Church commissioned altarpieces and then rejected them for being too vulgar, too real, too much like the people who actually attended church.
The Calling of Saint Matthew, painted for the Contarelli Chapel in San Luigi dei Francesi, is his method at its clearest. The light enters from the upper right like a blade. Matthew sits at a tax collector's table with his companions. Christ points. The scene looks like something you might see through a doorway, which is roughly the viewer's position. Nothing is idealised. The moment is ordinary and sacred simultaneously.
After the killing he fled to Naples, then Malta, then Sicily, then back to Naples. He kept painting. The late works are darker, faster, more desperate. He received a papal pardon and boarded a boat north. He died on a beach in Porto Ercole in July 1610, at thirty-eight. The cause is unknown: fever, infection, possibly lead poisoning from his paints. His influence on Rembrandt, Velazquez, Georges de La Tour, and every painter who has ever used a spotlight is difficult to overstate.
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