The Crucifixion with St. Mary Magdalen

Italian artist Luca Signorelli painted this monumental High Renaissance Crucifixion around 1502-05. Mary Magdalen kneels at the foot of the cross, dressed in blue beneath a red cloak, colors symbolizing heaven and purity beneath earthly sorrow. Christ's anatomically precise body demonstrates Signorelli's famous skill with the human figure.

Signorelli's mastery of foreshortening and anatomy influenced Michelangelo himself. In the background, Jerusalem sits atop distant cliffs. At Christ's feet, a skull with a serpent inside represents Satan and death. The painting came from the convent of San Vincenzo d'Annalena in Florence. Each figure feels alive and distinct through Signorelli's confident draftsmanship. The large canvas measures approximately 250 x 160 cm and hangs at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.