The National Gallery in London is opening a major survey exhibition of Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán (1598-1664), the first on this scale since 1987. The show expands beyond his famous austere saints to include intimate still-lifes, late private devotional works, and large-scale altarpiece reconstructions. Curator Daniel Sobrino Ralston highlights two newly discovered paintings, including *Alcarraza on a Plate*, and a rare reconstruction of the second tier of the Charterhouse of Jerez de la Frontera altarpiece, reuniting works from museums in Grenoble and Poznań.
The exhibition matters because it challenges the long-held view that Zurbarán declined after his 1630s peak, arguing instead that his late work evolved into a softer, more intimate style. It also reveals new insights into his working method, suggesting he and his son Juan created detailed still-life studies later transposed into larger compositions. By bringing together rediscovered works and reconstructing lost altarpieces, the show offers a fresh, comprehensive understanding of one of Spain's most important Baroque painters.