Who sculpted The Penitent Magdalene?

• A. Bernini
• B. Donatello
• C. Rodin
• D. Michelangelo

Answer: (B)

Donatello produced The Penitent Magdalene, a mid-15th-century sculpture that embodies the shift to naturalism in early Renaissance art. He portrays Mary Magdalene with a real, almost vulnerable humanity—the gaunt, sinewy form, long hair, and a solemn, penitent expression—that makes her state of inner suffering feel immediate and true. This emphasis on psychological presence and truthful detail distinguishes Donatello’s work from the more idealized or theatrically dramatic styles that came later, such as Baroque tendencies seen in Bernini or the later mannerisms of Rodin and Michelangelo’s grand figures. The piece stands as a clear example of Donatello’s commitment to human realism and emotional honesty in sculpture.