The Ointment of the Magdalene (Le parfum de Madeleine) by James Tissot

The Ointment of the Magdalene (Le parfum de Madeleine) - James Tissot - Canvas Wall Art

At a Glance

Looking for fine art oil painting with real brushwork? The Ointment of the Magdalene (Le parfum de Madeleine) is reproduced by hand in oils on artist-grade canvas after James Tissot. The result is a piece of vintage oil painting wall decor that anchors a bedroom and rewards a closer look.

Composition & Subject

1886-1894
Opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper
Brooklyn Museum, United States.

Mary Magdalene kneels before Christ and anoints his feet, wiping away the excess oil with her hair, a gesture of deference and devotion. The disciples especially Judas Iscariot, Tissot notes, in a commentary based on John's account are indignant at the gesture's expense, asking could not this costly ointment be sold and its profits given to the poor? However, Jesus defends Mary's prescience: "She did it," he tells them, "for my burial."

The fine art subject is rebuilt stroke by stroke in oil, giving the finished canvas the depth expected of vintage oil painting wall decor.

100% Hand Painted on Canvas

From primer to varnish, the work is done manually on artist-grade canvas. The absence of digital printing is deliberate: it keeps the fine art brushwork visible and gives the vintage oil painting wall decor a museum-like finish.

Specifications & What You Receive

• A true oil-on-canvas painting produced manually by our artists — not a mass-produced print.
• Edges include an additional 2-inch blank allowance, ideal for gallery wrapping or framing.
• Direct-from-studio worldwide delivery with no third-party resellers.
• Quick turnaround — most in-stock fine art paintings ship in 3–10 working days.
• Available canvas sizes for this hand painted oil painting: 30 X 40 in, 36 X 48 in, 48 X 72 in.
• Choose from standard sizes or request a custom dimension to fit your wall.
• We work with DHL, UPS, FedEx, USPS and additional couriers to keep delivery affordable.
• No-cost gallery stretching on wood bars, plus optional made-to-order framing.
• We send a digital image of your fine art painting for approval before it ships.

Styling & Placement

As bedroom wall art, this canvas brings color and texture without visual noise. It scales well from a small study to a large bedroom feature wall, and it is a reliable choice when shopping for fine art oil painting as a gift.

Shipping & Guarantee

Browse our James Tissot Paintings selection for related fine art canvases, or commission this fine art image in a custom size. Every order is a hand painted oil painting, never a printed poster.