A painting recently attributed to Caravaggio, *Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy*, has been brought to India through a partnership between the Cultural Centre of the Italian Embassy and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA). The work was unveiled on 11 April at the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre in Delhi and will be on public display at KNMA's mall outlet in Saket from 18 April to 18 May. The painting, authenticated in 2014 by Caravaggio scholar Mina Gregori, was previously known only through copies and was the subject of debate when exhibited in Paris in 2018 alongside another version.
The display marks the first time a work by Caravaggio has been shown in India, underscoring the growing international reach of Indian art institutions and diplomatic cultural exchange. The painting's controversial attribution and the artist's dramatic biography—including his violent reputation and flight after a killing—add layers of art-historical intrigue. The exhibition also highlights ongoing scholarly debates about Caravaggio's oeuvre and the enduring fascination with Mary Magdalene as a cultural figure.