Magdalene

Here's a veil that I made over the summer and then named after a much beloved saint. Her feast day coincides with mine and my husband's wedding anniversary, so I consider her one of our family saints.

The Magdalene in this painting by Georges del La Tour reminds me of Linda, my old roommate from college. Linda has the same sort of hair and frame as this Magdalene. We converted back to Christianity at around the same time, and the painting reverberates with great relevance for both of us!

And there's so much symbolism in this piece. She gazes into the mirror of introspection, and considers her life thus far.  The candle is symbolic of her time here on earth. The broken jewelry on the floor shows she no longer cares for the things of this world. The skull; mortality. Magdalene is considering the last things; death, judgment heaven and hell. The length of the flame, the dramatic use of light and dark add to the intensity of this moment. Everything has changed for her. Her life will never be as before. She has chosen God above all else.