Maria Magdalena of de heilige Agatha - Joos van Winghe

A delicate study of a saint reading by candlelight, rendered in pen and brown wash by the Flemish Mannerist artist Joos van Winghe.

This drawing by the Flemish artist Joos van Winghe depicts a female saint, identified in historical records as either Mary Magdalene or Saint Agatha. The figure is captured in a contemplative moment, reading by the light of a single candle. The composition is contained within a circular frame, which is rendered with a faux-marble effect, suggesting the work was intended as a design for a decorative roundel or a stained-glass window.

Van Winghe, who spent significant time in Rome and later served the court in Prague, demonstrates the stylistic traits of Northern Mannerism. The figure displays an elongated neck and elegant, fluid posture, typical of the period. The artist employs a sophisticated use of wash to create a chiaroscuro effect, where the candlelight provides the primary source of illumination, casting soft shadows across the saint's face and the pages of the book. The pen work is precise, defining the folds of the drapery and the delicate features of the subject with clarity.

This work reflects the artist's technical proficiency in ink and wash, a medium often used for preparatory studies or finished cabinet drawings. The inclusion of the halo, rendered in a faint, circular line, reinforces the religious nature of the subject. The surrounding marble-effect border adds a sense of architectural context, common in late sixteenth-century decorative arts. The drawing remains a fine example of the transition between the late Renaissance and the emerging Baroque sensibilities in Northern European art, where dramatic lighting and expressive characterisation became increasingly common.