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PAG1-rossetti-magdalene-jpg

The black-and white image centres on a woman standing in a crowded street between two brick buildings. The woman, Mary Magdalene, faces the viewer in three-quarter profile. Mary’s hair is loose and hangs down her front. She appears to be removing flowers and greenery from her hair, over her right shoulder. A bottle of perfume hangs at her hip. Mary is climbing a set of stairs to the entrance of a brick building located on the right side of the image. Through an open window, the viewer can see the radiant head of Christ in profile, facing Mary as she approaches the front door of Simon’s home. The faces of a man, presumably Simon, and a woman, possibly Simon’s wife, appear inside the door, watching Mary enter. The door is framed by two pots of flowers: lilies to Mary’s left, sunflowers to her right. The street is filled with people who watch Mary as she enters Simon’s home; most are in the background, but three people and one animal are in the foreground. The animal in the foreground at the bottom right corner is a fawn that appears to be eating the vines along the brick wall of the building. The ground is cobblestone. By the fawn’s feet is a grate in the wall that resembles a storm drain for water. Immediately in front of Mary, a couple hold each other. The female figure is in a long dress and sits on the stairs, learning her head on the male figure’s shoulder. He stands with his back to the deer and wears an elaborately decorated hat and cape. They both gaze up at Mary as she climbs the stairs behind them. The final figure in the foreground is a topless child sitting at the foot of the staircase to the left of the couple. Another small child stands behind the Magdalene holding up a bouquet of flowers to onlookers. Behind Mary, to the viewer’s left, there are three figures, two women and one man, all wearing garlands in their hair. Among the crowd, to the right of the image’s frame but in the far distance, leaning against the building on the other side of the street, two figures play instruments – one a wind instrument, possibly a flute, the other a string instrument, possibly a lute. Further figures in the far background are unclear but one appears to be labouring with a large sack.

PROSE DESCRIPTION The black-and white image centres on a woman standing in a crowded street between two brick buildings. The woman, Mary Magdalene, faces the viewer in three-quarter profile. Mary’s hair is loose and hangs down her front. She appears to be removing flowers and greenery from her hair, over her right shoulder. A bottle of perfume hangs at her hip. Mary is climbing a set of stairs to the entrance of a brick building located on the right side of the image.