Saint, sinner or feminist icon: How Mary Magdalene's image evolved through time

Apostle, prostitute, penitent and confidante of Jesus — just a few of the roles assigned to Mary Magdalene since the early days of Christianity .

Artists from the Renaissance to the Baroque period, including Titian , El Greco and Georges de la Tour, depicted her in the 16th and 17th centuries as a repentant penitent; Rembrandt portrayed her as a witness to Christ's resurrection; and Max Beckmann , a representative of the New Objectivity movement, depicted her as a sinner in 1917.

Nearly a century later, she was portrayed by Lady Gaga in a music video.

"Mary Magdalene is probably the most multifaceted and enigmatic figure in the Bible, and also one of the most enigmatic in European cultural history," said Bastian Eclercy, curator of the exhibition "Mary Magdalene: Sin. Pray. Love" at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt. "She appears countless times in art history."

Very little is known about Mary Magdalene from the Bible, yet she plays an important role in the New Testament.

The Gospels recount that Jesus delivered her from seven demons, and that she accompanied Jesus and witnessed his crucifixion and burial. On Easter morning, she discovered the empty tomb and became the first witness to the Resurrection. She then proclaimed the message of the risen Christ to Jesus' disciples.

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