Italian - Dish with Mary Magdalene - Walters 481319

Depicting Mary Magdalene, identified by the ointment jar she cared to the tomb to anoint Christ's dead body, was a way of introducing the image of a beautiful, sexually attractive woman while still being able to claim that the subject was religious.
This dish on a low foot is painted in blue, yellow,ochre, brown, black and opaque white. It features a representation of a lady, on a dark blue ground, with head turned three-quarters right and with curling locks over both shoulders. She has brown eyes, wears a blue dress and holds a covered jar. The back is bluish-white with one yellow circle near the rim.

St. Mary Magdalene is often depicted in Christian art holding a jar of ointment, which is meant to symbolize the ointment she used to anoint the feet of Jesus during the Last Supper, as described in the New Testament. This act of devotion is seen as a powerful expression of Mary Magdalene's love and devotion to Jesus, she pours the ointment from the jar onto Jesus' feet.