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Saturday, 2 May 2026

Artlyst: Zurbarán Contrasts And Innovations National Gallery London

Here's my latest exhibition review for Artlyst, which is on the Zurbarán exhibition at National Gallery:

"'Francisco de Zurbarán’s ‘Saint Francis in Meditation’ was a highlight among many other wonderful works in the National Gallery’s Saint Francis exhibition, held in 2023. This image is an attention grabber for its intensity in both composition and content. St Francis is the sole focus, powerfully highlighted against a dark background through chiaroscuro contrasts that earned Zurbarán the nickname “Spain’s Caravaggio”. In frayed, patched, dull robes, Francis kneels, his eyes, set in shadow by his hood, raised radiantly heavenward while he tightly clasps a skull to his chest. Realism and mysticism are compellingly combined in a spellbinding image that screams mortality and devotion."

"Zurbarán’s innovations are threaded throughout this exhibition, which, after its introductory room, focuses on major religious commissions, his evocation of fabrics, his iconography, commissions from outside Seville, his still-lifes and those of his son, and private commissions. The curator’s thematic choices enable Zurbarán’s range to be seen, while also providing opportunities for contemplation that might not have been as apparent in a chronologically structured show'."

Click here for my review of the Saint Francis exhibition at National Gallery and here and here for posts about El Greco.

My other pieces for Artlyst are:

Interviews -
Monthly diary articles -
Articles/Reviews -

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Posted by Jonathan Evens at 13:07
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