Mary Magdalene Penitent ca. 1638 oil on canvas 95 x 80 cm This unpublished work is attributed to the Veronese master on the basis of stylistic considerations shared by Pierluigi Carofano, Emilio Negro and Nicosetta Roio. It probably dates from the mature phase of his activity, around 1638, when the artist, active in Rome, adhered to the classicist language promoted by Barberini.The composition shows the saint in a half-length pose, seated in the grotto of her hermit's retreat, caught in a moment of intense meditation. The body, partially uncovered and wrapped in a red drape, is constructed with a firm plastic structure and a soft and luminous rendering of the complexion. The figure rests her head on her left hand while her gaze, moist and turned upwards, emphasises the penitential and contemplative dimension. The usual iconographic attributes are arranged around the figure: the skull, an allusion to vanitas and meditation on death; the sacred book, a sign of study and meditation; the crucifix, an object of devotion; and the jar of ointments, a reference to the Gospel episode of the burial of Christ. From a stylistic point of view, the work reveals a clear adherence to classicist models, with clear consonances with the painting of Guido Reni, Guercino and Domenichino, in the search for formal balance, in the purity of the drawing and in the ennobling of the nude, treated with a controlled and idealised sensuality rather than a naturalistic one. The soft modelling, the warm, golden light and the composure of the figurative layout confirm the work's inclusion in the climate of Roman figurative culture in the second quarter of the 17th century, mediated through the synthesis of Emilian tradition and Florentine suggestions.Comparison with works such as Cleopatra the Dying (Rome, private collection) and St. Cecilia (Prague, antiques market) reinforces the attribution, highlighting similarities in the anatomical construction, the type of faces and the quality of the drawing.In contemporary frame.The work is accompanied by the expertise of Prof. Pierluigi Carofano dated 31 March 2026.