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rate_review review schedule Apr 28, 2026 visibility 32 link 5 artists

Zurbarán review – ecstatic visions, primitive surrealism … and the finest loincloths ever painted

The Guardian reviews a major exhibition of 17th-century Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán, highlighting his visionary and surrealist qualities. The show features works such as "The Apparition of Saint Peter to Saint Peter Nolasco" (1629), newly attributed paintings including a giant mask, and iconic pieces like "The Crucified Christ" and "Saint Serapion," all drawn from collections including the Prado and the National Gallery, London. The review emphasizes Zurbarán's ability to paint supernatural subjects with naturalistic conviction, his exquisite rendering of fabrics—especially loincloths—and his influence on modern artists like Salvador Dalí.

newspaper The Guardian open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 30, 2026 visibility 19 link 5 artists

Simply divine: the extraordinary supernatural visions of Francisco de Zurbarán

Francisco de Zurbarán, one of the three great Spanish 17th-century painters alongside Velázquez and Murillo, is finally receiving his first solo exhibition in the UK at the National Gallery in London. The show highlights his distinctive style of religious painting, characterized by stark chiaroscuro, sculptural realism, and a meditative stillness that makes the immaterial seem tangible. Works such as his crucified Christ and The Apparition of Saint Peter to Saint Peter Nolasco exemplify his ability to depict visions and inner spirituality, often commissioned by powerful religious foundations in Seville during the Counter-Reformation.

newspaper The Guardian open_in_new Read original

article culture schedule May 8, 2026 visibility 3 link 3 artists

The glories of Francisco de Zurbarán’s paintings | Letters

Two letters to the editor respond to Charlotte Higgins's article on Francisco de Zurbarán. Paul McGilchrist critiques the physical inaccuracy of crucifixion depictions, including Zurbarán's *The Crucified Christ*, noting that most paintings fail to convey the true weight and distortion of a body suspended by nails. Jean Wilson highlights Zurbarán's series *Jacob and his 12 Sons* at Auckland Palace in Bishop Auckland, describing its history since 1756 and its connection to Bishop Trevor's support for Jewish rights.

newspaper The Guardian open_in_new Read original

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 30, 2026 visibility 20 link 5 artists

Zurbarán at the National Gallery - an unmissable show of baroque genius

The National Gallery in London presents a landmark exhibition of Francisco de Zurbarán (1598-1664), the first major retrospective of the Spanish Baroque master in Britain. In collaboration with the Louvre and the Art Institute of Chicago, the gallery has assembled over 40 works from institutions worldwide, including Seville and San Diego. The show features Zurbarán's electrifying religious paintings and radiant still lifes, displayed in darkened galleries that echo the chiaroscuro of his compositions. Highlights include the shattering *The Crucifixion* (1627) and *Saint Peter Nolasco's Vision of Saint Peter the Apostle* (1629), which demonstrate his hyper-real, sculptural approach to sacred subjects.

newspaper The Observer open_in_new Read original

rate_review review schedule Apr 30, 2026 visibility 15 link 1 artist

Zurbarán review: Even the godless will be enraptured by this drama

The article reviews a major exhibition of 17th-century Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán, highlighting his dramatic religious works such as a stark crucifixion, a depiction of St. Peter crucified upside down, and a series of saintly princesses. It notes the exhibition's effective hanging, the artist's use of vivid color and theatrical lighting, and includes recently attributed works like a mysterious giant head. The review emphasizes the blend of high drama, emotion, and Catholic piety in Zurbarán's paintings, as well as his still lifes that rival those of Velázquez.

newspaper AOL.com open_in_new Read original