Latest news with #MagdaleneinEcstasy
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Caravaggio's 'Magdalene in Ecstasy' is an experience to behold, say visitors to art gallery
Bengaluru, The thing that got 11-year-old Mahaavin amazed when he discovered European master Caravaggio for the first time is the fact that the painting that hung at National Gallery of Modern Art was done in 1606. Caravaggio's 'Magdalene in Ecstasy' is an experience to behold, say visitors to art gallery Till July 6, NGMA will be displaying one of Caravaggio's works, "Magdalene in Ecstasy", thanks to Italian Embassy in Delhi, and in particular Alfonso Tagliaferri, Consul General of Italy in Bengaluru, who made sure the painting that was loaned to China, made a pitstop in Bengaluru too on its way back to Italy. After a month in Delhi, at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, it arrived in Bengaluru on June 13. "That is like more than 400 years old. How can something this old be this well preserved," said Mahaavin, who had accompanied his dad to NGMA. The pre-teen, a native of Tumakuru, but who lives in Vijayawada, is no stranger to art. His father, Vinod Kumar, an artist himself, and who teaches visual art at the same school his son is studying, had ensured that his education is wholesome by enrolling in a school that pays attention to art as much as learning a math formula. Kumar said he also made sure they visit some interesting places, including museums, on their school breaks, like now, considering they get breaks together. "But nothing really prepared me for this experience here," said Mahaavin. Every visitor that PTI spoke to on June 20 echoed this sentiment. Seventy-plus years old Kiran Ganapathy, a native of Coorg, who is visiting her daughter in Bengaluru, said she was extremely glad that she let her daughter persuade her to come. "I studied here in Bengaluru and in my college days, frankly, Bengaluru had lot more to offer in terms of art. All those iconic places are now gone, really. I think the last time that I had an art outing here was probably in the 1980s," said Ganapathy. But being an Army wife, Ganapathy said she has travelled a lot. "We have been to Florence and been to those countless museums there. I am sure I have come across Caravaggio there," she said. But here in NGMA though, a huge empty hall is plunged into darkness with only a tiny light right above the painting illuminating it in such a way that the entire focus, no matter where you go in the hall, is only the painting –- that of Mary Magdalene, the woman believed to be a sex worker and Jesus Christ's disciple. The painting captures her rapture, highlighted by, as critics put it, "a ray of intense light, her head lolling back and eyes stained with tears". "I think this is perhaps the best way to learn about an artist, without feeling that fatigue one tends to in museums. I think one gets to understand Caravaggio's art much better like this than walking through a series of his paintings," added Ganapathy. It helped that the visitors also had an option to know a little bit more of Caravaggio's life, his style and his other famous works through an eight-minute virtual reality presentation. But some, like 71-year-old Annapoorna Sitaram, an artist herself, chose to sit in the bench placed strategically in front of the painting, lost in contemplation. When PTI caught up with Sitaram, she was already sitting there close to 30 minutes, taking in all the symbolisms that the artist has packed into his painting. She readily points them out to us: The little triangles that shoulders, neck and the drape of her clothes formed which in Medieval Europe primarily linked to Christian Holy Trinity . The greyish undertone to the skin that is to be expected of a woman who was a sex worker in those times. The stark contrast between red and white of the clothes, which denotes the clashing personality of Magdalene passionate and pure. The clash of light and darkness, which is an underlying theme of every Caravaggio. "As an artist though, I am amazed at how much drama he managed to create with so little. At a time when his fellow artists were filling the canvas with things, he stripped them bare. Just the effect of light which pours from the top left – has more drama than most animated figures of other artists," said Sitaram. Tagliaferri said this "theatricality" is called Caravaggesque style. "He was very ahead of his time. He created a sense of photography, cinematography even, with the way he handled light. His paintings take you directly to that moment of drama – in this painting, it is the ecstasy of Magdalene. This is what makes Caravaggio's works compelling," said Tagliaferri. Sneha, who is "taking a break" from teaching, said she had a moment of epiphany while standing in front of the painting: once a teacher, always a teacher. Her "teacher" eyes immediately spotted possibly the only thing that went wrong — lighting is too dim to make out the most famous symbolism in "Magdalene in Ecstasy", the 'cross and crown of thorns'. According to a signage nearby, the skull at the bottom right and the cross at top left denote the eternal pull between the good and the evil that mankind goes through. "I mean, wasn't that the point of the painting? How can we compromise on that? Somebody needs to tell the organisers to brighten the lights a bit more," said the 45-year-old teacher. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Caravaggio's Magdalene in Ecstasy travels to Bengaluru
'This is the first time an original Caravaggio has travelled to India,' says Alfonso Tagliaferri, Consul General of Italy in Bengaluru, at a press conference preceding the unveiling of Magdalene in Ecstasy by Renaissance artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio in Bengaluru at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). 'It defines a very good moment of the bilateral relations that we are living in now,' he adds. The painting depicts Mary of Magdala in a state of almost-erotic spiritual rapture, semi-reclining, draped in scarlet robes with bared shoulders and flowing auburn hair, against a dark background: an especially pronounced use of the classic chiaroscuro technique of Renaissance art called tenebrism, which he is often credited as having introduced. 'Art historians, when they talk of Caravaggio, quite often use the term realist, but the correct definition would be theatricality — the way he composed paintings was very theatrical,' explains Andrea Anastasio, Director of the Italian Cultural Centre, who was also present at the press conference. 'Of course, there is a lot of reality because he painted with real models, which sometimes generated trouble,' says Anastasio. For instance, in his famous painting of a dying Madonna, The Death of the Virgin, he is believed to have used a prostitute, 'and that caused a lot of noise in the public… the church refused to take the painting.' Caravaggio, he continues, radically changed art, particularly because of the way he used light. 'We have to keep in mind that there is a pre-Caravaggio and post-Caravaggio, when it comes to painting in Europe,' he says, pointing out that many artists, including Rembrandt and Velázquez, drew inspiration from his use of light. 'Caravaggism is a fashion where artists used his way of painting pictures and his way of using light.' An important artist Magdalene in Ecstasy is believed to have been painted in 1606, while Caravaggio was in hiding, after he had killed a man, Ranuccio Tommason, in a brawl. 'Caravaggio has a troubled, really tragic life,' says Anastasio, adding that the artist was a temperamental man with a difficult childhood. 'You have to keep in mind that, at the age of six, in one day, he lost his father, his aunt, uncle and another very close relative due to plague,' he says. The remaining family left Milan to escape the epidemic, moving to the town of Caravaggio in Bergamo, Lombardy, where he was raised by his mother and, during this period, they appeared to have faced financial strife. His talent, however, by most accounts, was undeniable. According to the Caravaggio foundation's website, in 1584, he started as an apprentice to the Lombard painter Simone Peterzano, a pupil of Titian. By 1592, he had moved to Rome, where he began 'performing hack-work for the highly successful Giuseppe Cesari, Pope Clement VIII's favourite painter,' it states. Within two years, he quit Cesari and decided to make his own way in the world and, over time, became an established name in Italy. But his tempestuous nature meant that he was 'notorious for brawling, even in a time and place when such behaviour was commonplace, and the transcripts of his police records and trial proceedings fill several pages.' By 39, he was dead, passing away under mysterious circumstances in 1610; however, his legacy lives on, and how. 'There are a bunch of artists who are the most important for us (Italians),' says Consul General Tagliaferri, naming some of them. 'Leonardo (da Vinci), Michelangelo, Raphael…after this, I would say, is Caravaggio…very important for us and the history of the world.' Lost and found For centuries, Magdalene in Ecstasy was believed to have been lost to the world, even though 'we knew the painting existed because copies were made,' says Anastasio. Then, in 2014, it was discovered in a private collection of an aristocratic Italian family who had owned it for centuries. 'When the last owner of the painting died, she left nine important paintings from her collection to her nephew and niece. The one who got the painting sent it to be restored, and when it went to the restoration workshop, the restorer suspected it was important.' Further investigations by experts, including the art historian Guglielma Gregori, revealed that it was indeed the missing painting and 'after that the painting has been travelling and has been exhibited in several countries. The reason it is here is the joy of sharing a painting of such an exquisite nature,' he says. The painting, which was first unveiled in India at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Delhi, is accompanied by a VR experience offering visitors a deeper engagement with the artist's work. 'The viewer comes most of the time, knowing very little about the artist or the historical context, so doing it in a way that they would engage is important,' says Anastasio. 'And VR does it in a beautiful way.' For Dr Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, Director General, NGMA, 'this exceptional exhibition of Magdalene in Ecstasy honouring Caravaggio's creative heritage will, in my opinion, have a lasting influence on world art history,' he says. 'For the first time in India, this one-of-a-kind show would draw a sizeable audience of art enthusiasts and spectators from all walks of life, especially academics and students studying the arts.' Magdalene in Ecstasy will be displayed at the National Gallery of Modern Art till July 6
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
From Rome with love: Caravaggio's $50-million painting debuts in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: For the first time ever, a painting attributed to the Italian Baroque master Caravaggio has arrived in Bengaluru, offering the city's art enthusiasts a rare chance to witness the dramatic intensity and emotional realism that reshaped Western art. The painting, which is 419 years old, is a $50 million masterpiece. The work — Maddalena in Estasi (Magdalene in Ecstasy) — is now on display at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in Vasanth Nagar. The arrival of the painting, previously housed only in European collections, signals a growing effort to make globally significant art accessible across India, beyond the usual cultural hubs. Andrea Anastasio, director of the Italian Cultural Centre (Delhi), told TOI: "This painting captures a moment of rapture, Magdalene's emotional response after seeing the risen Christ. It reflects that intense emotional state when joy and pain blur because the feeling is too powerful to hold. Caravaggio's composition deepens this impact. Her body lies on a diagonal, three-quarters turned toward us. The lower half is detailed, the upper half dark and empty, drawing us into her experience. It shows how art can merge beauty with emotional truth." As to why the painting, created in 1606, is debuting in Bengaluru, Anastasio said: "The choice is personal, too. I lived in this city for 10 years. Bengaluru has a unique energy and an intellectual openness that's hard to miss. There's a growing appetite here for meaningful, global cultural experiences, and this city deserves to be part of that conversation." Alfonso Tagliaferri, consul general of Italy in Bengaluru, said, "One might wonder why it took so long for us to bring this masterpiece to India. It's extremely rare for Caravaggio's works to leave the museums they're housed in; many are simply too fragile or too important to be moved. This painting is one of the very few still in private hands, rediscovered only a decade ago. That's what made this moment possible. A year and a half ago, we opened the consulate general here. We're committed to building stronger ties with South India, and bringing a $50 million masterpiece here is a gesture of friendship, of cultural diplomacy." Sophisticated, but relatable "Caravaggio is one of the greatest names in Italian — and world — art history," Tagliaferri said. "He completely changed how we paint biblical scenes. Before him, the Renaissance tradition made people look idealised, clean, graceful, perfect. Caravaggio painted raw human emotion. His figures had dirt under their nails. Their pain was visible; their joy, too. The light in his work is dramatic, almost cinematic; it feels like theatre or film. In a way, it's very contemporary. You could even say it's Instagrammable." "That's what makes him so special, he speaks to everyone," he added. "It is complex, sophisticated, but instantly relatable. You don't need to know art history to feel something when you see his work. And that's why we're so thrilled people in Bengaluru now get to experience this up close." Alongside the painting, visitors can experience a specially designed virtual reality installation that brings Caravaggio's world to life. This immersive experience offers art enthusiasts a deeper, more personal engagement with the artist's work, techniques, and influence. Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, director general of NGMA, said, "Bringing this painting to Bengaluru is a cultural moment for the city. For the first time, Bengalureans can see a work attributed to Caravaggio. This showcase honours his creative legacy, which continues to shape global art history even centuries later. We believe this exhibition will have a lasting influence, not only on seasoned art lovers but also on young minds. We're expecting a strong turnout from students, scholars, and the wider public, people from all walks of life curious about how powerful art can transcend time, geography, and belief." The exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday (June 14) to July 6, between 10am and 6pm, at NGMA. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Go! go! caravaggio! see his sacred game
16th c. Italian master-dramebaaz Caravaggio's 1606 painting ' Magdalene in Ecstasy ' (MiE), stumbled upon in a private collection in 2014, was to be on display at Delhi's Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) till May 18. Now, it's staying till May 30. So, if you haven't already gone to see it, then 'Go, go, Caravaggio!' and see it. If MiE were a film, it would open in slo-mo, drenched in chiaroscuro, as the Bible's 'Other Mary' collapses into divine rapture. Cue Ennio Morricone's haunting score. Forget delicate Renaissance Madonnas - this is full-throttle Baroque drama mixed with Kill is caught mid-swoon, her head tilted back, her body slack, as if she's just been hit by the full force of divine revelation - or, the final episode of a Netflix revenge saga. The lighting is pure Scorsese. A single beam cuts through the darkness, illuminating the Big M in a way that screams 'final showdown'. And talk about ambiguity. Is this spiritual ecstasy? Or something more visceral - shall we say, ' European art house '? Caravaggio, ever the provocateur, blurs the line between sacred and sensual, making this the perfect poster child for our OTT, maximalist era with its perfunctory statutory warnings. MiE is the OG (visual) climax, proving that centuries before Anurag Kashyap et al, Caravaggio was already rolling the credits on Sacred Games.
