La Maddalena in estasi, the painting recognized as Caravaggio’s work by the art historian Mina Gregori, will be exhibited for the first time in the United States at the Italian Institute of Culture in New York. The opening is scheduled for Wednesday 14 October at 686 Park Avenue, in the presence of the Vice-President of the Camera Giorgio Mulè. In the same evening will also open the exhibition 1946: the Republic was born. The Constituent Assembly in Montecitorio, dedicated to the eighty years of the referendum that ended the Italian monarchy. The two exhibitions will be open until 6 November.
The painting comes from a private Swiss collection and dates back to the last years of Caravaggio’s life, with a dating from 1606 to 1610. His identification is relatively recent: in 2014 Gregori announced that he had recognized the hand of the painter in the canvas, until then remained outside the knowledge of the general public.
The Magdalene has the reversed head, the eyes touched and the face marked by tears. The red cloak partly covers a skull, one of the objects with which the Christian figurative tradition represents the saint. The dark bottom focuses attention on the body and facial expression: the religious ecstasy passes through the tension of the neck, hands and eyebrows. According to the reconstruction presented by the Institute, the painting was among those that Caravaggio brought with him on his last trip, before his death in 1610. The exhibition is organized with MetaMorfosi Events and supported by Fondazione Giordano and Listone Giordano.
The exhibition on the Republic follows the path from the end of World War II to the writing of the Constitution. Created in collaboration with the Chamber of Deputies, it resumes the model of the exhibition set up at Palazzo Montecitorio. In New York will be presented reproductions of documents of the Historical Archives of the Chamber, vintage photographs and multimedia materials, until the approval of the Charter on 22 December 1947.
The vote of 2 June 1946 contained two distinct choices: deciding between monarchy and republic and electing representatives responsible for writing the new rules of the state. 556 members joined the Constituent Assembly, including 21 women. It was the first Italian national consultation to which women participated as electrics and candidates. Five of the elect were also part of the Commission of the 75, responsible for preparing the draft Constitution.
Between the referendum and the entry into force of the Constitution, on January 1, 1948, he spent more than a year and a half. The first session of the Constituent was held on 25 June 1946; three days after the Assembly elected Enrico De Nicola, provisional head of the State. The exhibition path reconstructs this passage from the choice of republican form to the definition of institutions and citizens’ rights.
To participate in the inauguration of October 14 a booking form is available on the Institute website. The exhibition of the “Maddalena in estasi” will be free of charge, from Monday to Friday from 9.30 to 17.
L’articolo La Maddalena in estasi proviene da IlNewyorkese.
