Mary, Easter witness

By T.J. McNAMARA art critic

Mary Magdalene has one of the most impressive churches in Paris dedicated to her and the best song in the raucous Jesus Christ Superstar but in the Gospels she is in one of the most quiet and touching Easter scenes, one often depicted in art.

After Christ died on the cross and he was laid in a tomb in a garden near the crucifixion site, Mary Magdalene came there in the early morning and stood weeping. She suddenly became aware of a presence standing near her whom she thought was the gardener. She approached the figure and knew it was Christ.

She said, "Is it you, Lord?" and reached out to touch him. Because he was still in the realm of the spirit he drew himself aside and said, "Do not touch me" - "Noli me tangere." He then instructed her to spread the news of his resurrection.

This episode, recounted in John's Gospel, makes Mary Magdalene one of the most important people in the Christian faith. She was the first witness to the return of Christ from the dead and the promise of life after death which is the fundamental hope of all Christians.

She was also given enormous prominence in art because she was one of the great penitents whose sins were forgiven by Jesus as part of his ministry. She is the penitent harlot who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and anointed his feet with perfume.

This action is mentioned twice in the Gospels and her symbol is her alabaster jar of ointment. She is identified as the sister of Martha, who Jesus loved, and Lazarus, who he raised from the dead.

A courtesan before she turned from sin, Mary is usually depicted as beautiful.

The loveliest painting of the moment in the garden is Noli Me Tangere, an early (1515) painting by Titian, which is in the National Gallery in London. The garden is a beautiful landscape that heightens the tender atmosphere of the work. Christ is shown as still in his grave shroud and solicitously drawing himself away from the Magdalene, who has fallen on her knees and tenderly reaches toward him.

In this picture Christ is carrying a hoe to give credence to the idea he was mistaken for the gardener. X-rays have shown Titian first painted him wearing a hat but subsequently painted it out. Nevertheless, he is often shown as wearing a gardener's hat, notably in a woodcut by Albrecht Durer.

The Titian painting is one of the world's greatest works of art but is equalled by a sculpture in Florence by Donatello. He shows the ravages a life of penitence have wrought on the face and figure of Mary.

His sculpture is horrifying in its extreme ugliness yet there are traces of lost beauty that make the work inexpressibly moving. Sinner, penitent, witness - Mary Magdalene sacrificed everything, including physical beauty, to gain spiritual beauty. Christ said her sins were forgiven because she loved much.