_Pedro Campaña_ (Flemish-Italian: 1503-1580).
The painter of this picture forms an interesting link in the
history of art. "In Spain the influence exercised over the
national school by the northern Gothic masters was weakened
at an early stage by the Italian Renaissance. Strange to say,
a Fleming, who had learned his art in the school of Michael
Angelo, was the chief instrument by which Italy asserted her
power. Peter de Kampencer, to whom the Spaniards gave the
name of Pedro Campaña, was born in Brussels. He left Italy,
where he had enjoyed the protection of Cardinal Grimani, for
Seville (1548), where he founded an academy." Luis de Morales
(see 1229) is said to have been among his disciples. One of
his masterpieces, a "Descent from the Cross," in Santa Cruz,
was the picture which Murillo was never tired of admiring (see
the story told under 13). Besides such large altar-pieces,
"he was accustomed," says Lanzi (i. 402, Bohn's edition), "to
paint small pictures, which were eagerly sought after by the
English, and transferred to their country, where they were
highly prized." In 1560 Campaña returned to his native city,
and became official painter to the tapestry works there.
The subject of this "celebrated picture" (as Lanzi calls it) is "The
Magdalen led by St. Martha to the Temple, to hear the preaching of
Christ." Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, is identified in
legend with the Magdalen, and her conversion is said to have begun with
the incident here depicted. The kneeling figure of the Magdalen is
conspicuous amongst the women listeners; she is encouraged by Martha,
who points to the preacher (see Mrs. Jameson's _Sacred and Legendary
Art_, p. 219, ed. 1850, for other representations of this subject).