The whereabouts on “Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy” by the Baroque master, Caravaggio had remained a mystery until 2014 when it was discovered in a private collection. The 1606 work, only known through copies made by the artists followers, was authenticated by Italian art historian and Caravaggio expert, Mina Gregori. “Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy” along with 11 other original works by the artist and several works by his followers now hang in an important exhibition in Tokyo’s National Museum of Western Art, Caravaggio and His Time: Friends, Rivals and Enemies.
Visitors to the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo look at Caravaggio’s painting Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy. Photograph: Shizuo Kambayashi/AP
This work is a strong example of Caravaggio’s oeuvre. His intense juxtaposition of light and shadow focuses the eye on the beautifully detailed figure. A technique that later influenced important artists such as Rubens, La Tour and Rembrandt.