Review by Choice Review
Given the muddled accounts of various figures named Mary in early Christian Gospels and their theological and cultural transformations across two millennia, the reception of Mary Magdalene has proved protean. Apostolos-Cappadona (emer., religious art and cultural history, Georgetown Univ.), also author of A Guide to Christian Art (2020), shares her fascination with portrayals of the Magdalene in art and sculpture. Part 1 surveys scriptural, patristic, and narrative, devotional, and visual depictions chronologically. The shorter second part examines ten motifs--for example Mary Magdalene as sexually enticing sinner, penitent anointer, model of sincerity, first witness to the Resurrection, the one who does not cling to the risen savior, the transplanted French saint and source of spiritually powerful medieval relics, woman preacher, and feminist icon. The author brings coherence to motley themes and varied depictions, but often lapses into a phone book--like cataloging of too many details. She wears her interdisciplinarity lightly while making sense of her material, but the "ways of seeing" the artworks are too brief and deserve more attention. Likewise, though the glossy paper allows for quality illustrations, most are too small for detailed examination. Readers will often need to consult online presentations of the artworks. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. --Steve A. Young, McHenry County College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
