This panel designed by Henry Holiday for Powell and sons (1891) is in Salisbury Cathedral and depicts two of the Gospel women named Mary: Mary of Bethany (left) and Mary Magdalene (right). It forms part of a thematic sequence celebrating women of devotion and spiritual insight throughout Scripture.

On the left, Mary of Bethany holds a small casket of ointment, referring to her act of anointing Jesus’s feet with costly perfume, a symbol of love and worship (John 12:3). Her long golden hair and downcast gaze evoke quiet contemplation and reverence.

On the right, Mary Magdalene is portrayed with characteristic grace and dignity, her head turned in reflective pose. She is robed in flowing garments patterned with gold foliage, echoing the lush textile designs of the Arts and Crafts era. Holiday presents her not as a penitent sinner, but as the first witness of the Resurrection — strong, devoted, and spiritually transformed.

The red background unifies the two figures and symbolizes divine love and sacrifice, while the intricate geometric and floral ornamentation in the canopy and borders ties the work stylistically to its companion windows.

Henry Holiday’s hallmark features are once again evident: idealized naturalism, expressive faces, and a masterful harmony of color and line. Together, these Mary windows form a rich, meditative cycle that honors the depth and diversity of women’s faith in the biblical narrative — a perfect example of the refined spiritual beauty that characterized Powell & Sons’ collaboration with Holiday in the late Victorian period.