Location
WC2N 5DN
Dates
This exhibition CLOSED on Sun, 21st May 2017
This exhibition has finished.
Cost: Free of Charge
Description
Guido Cagnacci was one of the most unconventional Italian painters of the Baroque period.
His paintings are not represented in any public public collection in the UK, and 'The Repentant Magdalene' has not been seen in this country for over thirty years. On display now, thanks to a loan from the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, this display of the painting offers visitors a unique opportunity to discover this artist’s astonishing naturalism and sensuality at first hand.
Though unfamiliar to many visitors today, Cagnacci was celebrated in his own lifetime for his extremely sensual paintings of female saints and heroines. These erotic depictions, coupled with the records of Cagnacci’s personal life (which include trying to run away with a rich widow and having a cross-dressing female assistant), have earned him a reputation as an artist of unparalleled daring and seduction.
'The Repentant Magdalene' is widely regarded as Cagnacci’s masterpiece.
Full of drama and sensuality, it depicts Mary Magdalene rejecting her life of sin and excess in favour of following Christ. Cagnacci’s treatment of the subject is unique; he lavishes unprecedented attention on her glittering costume, shoes and jewellery, as well as on her naked body.
This painting is like no other representation of the Magdalene.
Contact and Booking Details
More information at this website.
No need to book tickets - just turn up on the day.
Disclaimer
The information and prices in this listing are presumed to be correct at the time of publishing, but please always check with the venue before making a special trip.
All images are supplied by the exhibition organiser.
This exhibition has finished.
This event runs over several days/weeks. Dates include:
Other exhibitions open at National Gallery