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The Embroidered Antependium of Wernigerode, Germany: Mary Magdalene and Female Spirituality in the Thirteenth Century*

is one of the oldest embroidered cloths (as distinct from tapestries) of this size in Germany (94 143 cm) (Figs 1a d). It is stylistically dated to c.1250 . The size and shape of this cloth make it likely that it served as an antependium. The hands that carefully worked the virgin linen with silk thread had two biblical scenes in mind: Luke 7 : 36 50 and John 20 : 11 18 . On the left, we see Mary Magdalene at the home of Simon the Pharisee. The scene is festive; drapes decorate the ceiling of a typical contemporary castle. According to the Gospel, a woman who was known in the town as a sinner had anointed the feet of Christ, washed them with her tears and dried them with her hair. A lock of Mary Magdalene’s hair is draped elegantly around the foot of Christ on the fabric. Luke 7 : 50 says »And he [Christ] said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace« (dixit autem ad mulierem fides tua te salvam fecit vade in pace). The banderol bears the last three words of this verse: VADE IN PACE. Besides the host, Simon, who is depicted here wearing a typically Jewish headdress, Luke also mentions fellow guests (v. 49), who are here, most exceptionally, represented by two female figures. By way of comparison, I refer to an illustration in the Psalter of the Cistercian convent of Wöltingerode, Harz, from 1220 , where the guests are male (Fig. 2). A tower with a double doorway divides the composition in two. The Noli me tangere motif on the right offers a compact »snapshot« of Christ forbidding physical contact. Mary Magdalene is reaching and stretching out her hands towards Christ who is holding the vexillum in one hand and making the gesture of blessing with another as in the opposite scene while pointing to a cloud. His left foot is also moving away from her. The scene is similar to a contemporary illustration in the Semeca Missal (Fig. 3).