Mary Magdalene Anointing Christ’s Feet in the House of Simon the Pharisee
Of all the masterpieces I've spent time with for this series, I have been drawn to spend the most time with this one.
What a startling scene. I'm particularly struck by the emotions on display by the men around the table. These guys are surprised. They are perplexed. They are scandalized!
At the scene's center, we see that the object of their consternation is… a worshiping woman. She is neither self-conscious nor seems to be paying attention to the men at all, except for one man: Jesus. She reclines at his feet, the very posture of a committed disciple, rapt with love. In a gesture of extraordinary sacrifice and devotion, she pours liquid riches upon him from her alabaster jar of perfume.
Mary Magdalene Anointing Christ’s Feet in the House of Simon the Pharisee — Artus Wolffort | between 1596-1641