Raffael - Die Hl. Magdalena, KdZ 5172

The saint is shown in profile, looking upward with an expression of intense devotion. Her body is completely covered by thick, wavy tresses of hair which serve as her only garment, reflecting her years of asceticism in the wilderness. Small, dark pinpricks along the outlines of the figure indicate this sheet was used as a cartoon to transfer the design onto another surface through pouncing.

As a primary model of the contemplative life, the penitent Magdalene resonated with Renaissance Neoplatonists who viewed her withdrawal from the physical world as a metaphor for the soul's ascent toward divine beauty and truth. The image highlights the transition from worldly vanity to spiritual interiority.