Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene has long deserved the extended gaze of a good art critic. Diane Apostolos-Cappadona … takes us, very ably and learnedly, through the 2,000–year history of her visual representations. -- Michael Glover * The Tablet *
It’s a rich pudding stuffed with 65 colour reproductions, the findings and images often recherché and fascinating. -- Marina Warner * London Review of Books *
Diane Apostolos-Cappadona’s concise art historical account of the Magdalene charts her transformations and offers a guide to the motifs associated with her various manifestations … Apostolos-Cappadona leads our eye to her, illuminating Mary Magdalene as a more distinct figure. -- Hettie Judah * Art Quarterly *
Apostolos-Cappadona’s engaging and intelligent appraisal of artistic interpretation reminds the reader that the Magdalene is a subject that matters still. -- Siobhan Jolley * The Art Newspaper *
This is a lavishly illustrated, informative survey of how 2,000 years of Christian history has curated the memory of Mary Magdalene … There is much here that will inform. -- John Woods * Inspire *
Both biblical scholars and general readers can benefit from Mary Magdalene: A Visual History, as it is simultaneously accessible and engaging. ... could easily be used to great benefit for anyone teaching or preaching the Gospels * Bulletin for Biblical Research *
… a visual feast of one hundred and thirty eight images of Mary Magdalene from the very earliest of 240 AD to the present. The author notes the transformations in Mary Magdalene’s imagery in response to changes in ‘cultural and theological perceptions’ over the centuries and adds a comprehensive scholarly discussion of written records. The result is this fascinating book. -- Mary Sokol * New Directions *
It is made for those who wish to experience a wonderful immersion into the power of art to portray a person in all of their complexity. * Women's Alliance For Theology, Ethics And Ritual *
Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. * Choice *
Informative and fascinating. . . . Filled with good spiritual art and lessons. . . . [A] delightful history of this figure in literature, devotion, and art. . . . [Apostolos-Cappadona] uses gorgeous images (65 total) and sensitive artistic and literary readings to show how Mary Magdalene was understood and represented throughout the history of the Church. * Catholic World Report *
[A] lovely work. . . . Made for those who wish to experience a wonderful immersion into the power of art to portray a person in all of their complexity. * Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual *
Diane Apostolos-Cappadona excellently demonstrates the essential nature of the visual in understanding the multiplicity of Mary Magdalene. Where do all her contrasting images come from? This wonderfully accessible and beautifully illustrated book takes you on a thoroughly-researched journey to find out. * Lieke Wijnia, University College Utrecht, the Netherlands *
This is a wonderful book, written by a real expert in the field. It represents a lifetime of studying images of the Magdalene, and manifests deep reflection not only about cultural history but also the changing dimensions of spirituality and devotion. We are presented with a ‘Magdalene mosaic’ that allows readers to gain a rich appreciation of both the iconography of the Magdalene but also her shifting significance. * Joan E. Taylor , King’s College London, UK *
This beautiful book is the achievement of a scholar who not only comprehends her subject thoroughly, but is passionate about it. Every chapter is a rich and meticulously crafted compilation of texts, artworks, traditions, and lived practices. When brought together, they capture the complex character of Mary Magdalene whose multifaceted and often contradictory representations are simultaneously true and false, but, most of all, incomplete without the others. A brilliant achievement! * Robin Jensen, University of Notre Dame, USA *