The walls of the church of Santa María Magdalena keep a valuable collection of sculptures that are a priceless treasure of art and spirituality, because through these sacred images, carved in polychrome wood between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries, between the Renaissance and the Neo-Baroque, are represented some of the most beloved devotions of these parishioners. Without a doubt, the image of Our Lady of Amparo must occupy a place of pride. It is one of the best works of the Flemish sculptor Roque de Balduque, who carved around 1555, giving it a noble feature and maternal tenderness, condensed into its emblem winged heart that serves as a silvery scepter.
Unique plastic values are also instilled in “La Virgen de las Fiebres”, attributed to the sculptor from Salamanca Juan Bautista Vázquez "The Old" around 1565, being one of the most prominent Sevillian Renaissance Madonnas . Disciple of the above was Jerónimo Hernández from Ávila, who here left us two Mannerist pieces of outstanding quality, the Infant Jesus, dating to 1580, and the Risen One, hired in 1582, belonging to the ancient brotherhood of “El Dulce Nombre de Jesus”, merged with penitential one of “La Quinta Angustia”. Also from Castilla comes the sculptor Gaspar del Águila, author in 1587 of the “Nazareno of Fatigas”, who hugs and loads on his left shoulder a precious cross of tortoiseshell and silver. To this group must unite three Crucifixions from the sixteenth century: the one of “Confalon”, related to the French sculptor Nicholas de León, and datable to 1536; the one of the” Forgiveness”, from the middle of that century, and the one of the “Poor”, from last third of the sixteenth century.
The imposing figure of St. Paul that now pervades on the second body of the altarpiece has high artistic carats, entering its implementation in the early years of the 17thcentury. The elegant classicism spiritualized by Juan Martinez Montañés is evident in the sculpture of St. Joseph with the baby Jesus in the hand, which can be dated around the second or third decade of the seventeenth century. In 1619 is dated the relief of the Assumption which was carved by the Cordovan Juan de Mesa, one of the most qualified representatives of sculptural naturalism, as also was Francisco de Ocampo from Jaen, author in 1611-1612 of the impressive Crucified of “El Calvario”, that each early Friday morning marches out. In another place is “ Santa Rita de Casia”, whose image of candleholder comes from the extinct convent of “El Pópulo”. The sculpture of San Antonio de Padua can be dated to the second quarter of the seventeenth century, remaining anonymous.
The full Baroque that characterized the sculptural production of Pedro Roldán, during the second half of the seventeenth century, is manifested in a wide range of works, truly unique for their artistic significance, commencing with the venerated statue of “Nuestra Señora de la Antigua y Siete Dolores”, and continue with the processional mystery of the Descent of Jesus Christ-except for his Dolorosa, contemporary image of Vicente Rodriguez-Caso, the archangels San Miguel and San Gabriel from the brotherhood of “El Rosario”, which is at the altarpiece of the sacramental chapel, the sculptures of the Virgin and Child with St. Dominic of low choir and scallops of the cupola and all the Evangelists and Fathers of the Latin Church that abound at the top of the side walls of the chancel and transepts. Also of notable interest is the Mexican Immaculate of the altarpiece, donated in 1669 to the Brotherhood Sacramental by Captain Miguel Beltran de Benavides, the sculptures of Santa Monica and Santa Rosa de Lima, and the group of Santa Ana teacher with San Joaquin that share the same baroque affiliation of the final decades of the seventeenth century.
Already in the eighteenth century, has entered the execution of the holder of the parish, St. Mary Magdalene, by the sculptor Felipe Malo de Molina in 1707. A Benito de Hita and Castillo is credited with solid stylistic arguments performing mid-eighteenth century, Immaculate presiding monumental neoclassical main niche altar of the sacramental chapel. In 1787, the formidable barrister Christopher Ramos modeled the beautiful Virgen del Rosario who is worshiped at the feet of the nave of the Gospel.
The most important sculptors who worked in Seville during the first half of the nineteenth century, Juan de Astorga, offer us images of the delicate Virgin of the Presentation and San Juan Evangelista of the Brotherhood of Calvary. As a final coda of this well-stocked sculptural repertoire that can be admired inside the parish church of St. Mary Magdalene, we note the relief of Our Lady of Good Counsel carved by the neo-baroque sculptor Sebastián Santos Rojas in 1950.
