[mnehring]

Interesting symbolism. Usually DaVinci and his contemporaries have the Magdalene holding a cup as a way to distinguish her. In this case, she is holding a flower. It has some similarities (theme wise) to the Virgin on the Rocks by DaVinci. I wonder if it was more to represent St. Mary the Mother versus the Magdalene?

[allmendream]

No art expert - but I have seen enough religious paintings that a young woman holding a child greeting another child is almost ALWAYS - Mary the Mother holding the Christ child meeting John the Baptist as a child.

[allmendream]

Notice that John the Baptist is depicted with a shepherds staff and sheep.

[AnAmericanMother]

Not Mary Magdalene, doesn't have any of her attributes (long unbound hair - skull - egg - jar of ointment).

Clearly the Blessed Virgin with Christ and John the Baptist (a subject that da Vinci painted repeatedly).

Trust the Daily Mail to be utterly clueless - not exactly a bunch of highbrows over there.