Apparition of Jesus to Mary Magdalene - Harry Clarke Stained-glass window

St. Mary's Church Ballinrobe, County Mayo

By Averil Staunton

The elaborately dressed kneeling, red haired, Mary Magdalene does not at first recognise Jesus; until he speaks to her she traditionally assumed he was a gardener. The scene is placed within a garden. Balance is introduced to this design with three splashes of orange/yellow  with Mary’s hair, the demi-john jar within the shrubbery and its lid held in her elegant hand.

The predella: The Agony in the Garden depicts Jesus kneeling with his hands outstretched towards an angel holding a cross in the garden of Gethsemane.  This was just prior to his arrest, trial and crucifixion.  Two of his disciples lie asleep at the bottom right corner of the panel.