Mary Magdalene is depicted seated in a cave contemplating a skull and a crucifix. Such an overtly religious image would have been an appropriate purchase for the devoutly Catholic James II. It is first recorded in his collection at St James's Palace. This is a second version, possibly by Lely himself, of the picture at Kingston Lacy, although the Royal Collection picture has additions on the top, bottom and right to enlarge the size of the canvas, probably to fit over a door in the Queen's Presence Chamber at Windsor.