Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Virginia, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 221-234). Also available online through Digital Dissertations.

Habilitationsschrift--Bochum, 1967. / Bibliography: p. 171-174.

Texte remanié de: Diss.--Philosophische Fakultät--Göttingen--Georg-August-Universität, 1997. / Bibliogr. p. 613-651. Notes bibliogr. Index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--New York University, Graduate School. / Also on microfilm. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

The sins of the flesh and the mortification of the flesh characterize the biography of the saint known as Mary Magdalen. The polychrome wooden sculpture by Donatello from c.1455 was described by Vasari as: “wasted away by her fastings and abstinence." The extreme emaciation of the figure contrasts with the image of the beautiful and mournful Magdalen frequently seen at the foot of the cross in medieval crucifixion scenes. With virtually no documentation concerning its commission, much of the scholarship on this particular piece focuses on dating and the intended installation site. This thesis aims to examine the relationship between the emaciated style and the manner of polychromy in Donatello’s Penitent Magdalen as an example of the redeeming power of penance. On a figure known for a life of sin and prostitution but also redemption, the gilding juxtaposed with a haggard and ugly body creates a dynamic relationship between sanctity and beauty (or the lack thereof) and demonstrates the effect of penance on the sinner. The extreme emaciation and rough finish of the piece, in tandem with the gilding of the hair, created an effect of light that was significant to the Renaissance understanding of the saint’s character but also to a larger discourse on female sexuality and spirituality. The multifaceted character of Mary Magdalen and Donatello’s depiction of her was understood by Quattrocento Florentines on a variety of levels. Higher social classes would readily grasp the sculpture’s affinity with Petrarchan tropes and philosophical ideas, particularly in terms of light imagery and descriptions of love. But the average viewer would also make more prosaic associations between the figure of the Magdalen and popular preaching and prostitution. Through an examination of the cultural climate of fifteenth century Florence, this investigation will situate Donatello’s uniquely emaciated and gilded sculpture in the visual tradition of Magdalen imagery, motifs of female spirituality in Donatello’s career, the literary tradition of describing female beauty, and societal concerns about prostitution and female sexuality. / Thesis (Master, Art History) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-26 21:24:46.128

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The literature on the stained glass windows installed in the eight oculi of the drum of Santa Maria del Fiore are mainly found in the monographs of the four artists that provided the cartoons--Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Paolo Uccello, and Andrea del Castagno. Few studies have focused on the program in its entirety. This thesis will attempt to provide a more thorough understanding of the program. Analysis of the primary documents reveals how the windows functioned as part of the building and its liturgical and public life. In particular, the central argument is that Donatello's Coronation of the Virgin was a substitute for an altarpiece and the seven other windows act as subsidiary scenes that reinforce the primary window and its political and theological agenda. / Art History

Fine Arts / Master / Master of Philosophy

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