1 / 6
Live
Premium Flemish School. Antwerp. Circa 1540.
Flemish School. Antwerp. Circa 1540.
Lot no. 17
Description
Flemish School. Antwerp. Circa 1540.
'Noli me tangere. The Encounter between Mary Magdalene and the Gardener after the Resurrection'
Oil on oak panel.
56,5 x 44 cm.
This exquisite Flemish panel painting illustrates the passage from the Gospel of John (20:11–17), in which Mary Magdalene arrives at the empty tomb of Jesus and, seeing a nearby gardener, asks where the body of her Lord has been taken. The gardener, upon addressing her by name, reveals Himself as the risen Christ and charges her with announcing His Resurrection to the disciples.
Her exclamation, “Rabboni” (Master), filled with joy and recognition, is answered by Christ with the words of verse 17: “Noli me tangere”—“Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father.”
The artist renders the scene with Renaissance sensibility, blending realistic human figures with meticulous detail. The composition includes a carefully executed landscape with a distant castle, women conversing in the background, lush vegetation, richly textured garments, the saint’s headdress, and her iconic alabaster jar. The painter employs a refined technique to achieve an image that feels almost photographic in its precision.
A restrained, soft palette imbues the natural setting with warmth and quiet dignity. Particularly striking is the crimson robe of the Myrophore (the bearer of myrrh), whose only iconographic attribute—the golden alabastron, or gilded perfume vessel—symbolically separates her from her Lord. The fragrance represents her genuine, enduring love.
This serene composition radiates tranquility, inviting the viewer into a moment of profound revelation and tender restraint.
Provenance: Private collection. Spain.
Pictures credits:
Contact organization
Delivery methods
You may also like