Penitent Magdalene

A copy after Batoni's now-lost original formerly in the Staatliche Museen, Gemäldegalerie, Dresden (see A.M. Clark, Oxford 1985, p. 226, cat. no. 60, pl. 56). By the end of 18th century Batoni's original was widely celebrated by art citics and prompted numerous copies. Anton Graff alone is thought to have produced fourteen copies of the work. (See E.P. Bowron and P.B. Kerber, Pompeo Batoni, London 2007, p. 136). It is possible that the present work is an example of Graff's many copies, while it does not appear to be one of the four copies listed by Berckenhagen (E. Berckenhagen, Anton Graff. Leben und Werk, Berlin 1967, cat. nos. 1746-1749, p. 411).