File:Christ and the Repentant Sinners - Peter Paul Rubens.jpg

English: Peter Paul Rubens "Christ and Mary Magdalene" (1618) Oil on panel, Alte Pinakothek, Munich. The painting depicts the scenes of Luke 23:26-28, "And as they led him away they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people and of women which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning ubto them said "Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for yourselves and for your children". The Devon topographer Rev. John Swete reported in his journal of 1797 that the painting had been purchased "abroad" by Mr Trefusis, later Baron Clinton, and that its owner had himself rescued it from a devastating fire at his residence of Heanton Satchville, Petrockstowe, Devon. Whilst still homeless he had loaned it for safekeeping to his neighbour John Inglett Fortescue Esq., at Buckland Filleigh, and it was displayed in the guest bedroom when Rev. Swete stayed the night. Swete wrote of it as follows: "At night as he introduced me to my bedchamber I observed what I thought a remarkable fine painting standing against the wall, and the next morning about six, the sun shining in at the windows, I drew back the curtains of the bed and contemplated it with admiration for at least an hour. The subject was taken from the New Testament, and was the compulsion of Simon to bear the Cross. The figures were five and the expression of the several countenances, the accuracy of the drawing and in particular the stile of colouring gave conviction to my mind that the master was Rubens. When I met Mr Fortescue at Breakfast I found that I was right in my conjecture...(Gray, Todd & Rowe, Margery (Eds.), Travels in Georgian Devon: The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Swete, 1789-1800, vol.3, Tiverton, 1999, p.113)