Madonnas / The Magnificent Age: Art, Life and Baroque

When Martin Luther published his 95 theses in 1517, it was not only a challenge to the perceived corruption of the Catholic Church, it was an act which prompted the transformation of the religious, socio-political, and artistic landscape of Europe. One of the most dynamic styles to emerge in the wake of the Counter-Reformation, the Baroque lasted a century and manifested differently in Italy, Spain, and France, where it produced the most extraordinary artists and architects including Caravaggio, Bernini, Velasquez, Poussin, and Borromini.

Marian worship was key to Counter-Reformation piety. The Madonna Triumphant was represented in various ways with reference to the Immaculate Conception, the Apocalyptic Woman, and her Assumption in works by Ribera and Caravaggio. Discover why the latter’s ‘Death of the Virgin’ 1605-6, Cherubini Chapel, Santa Maria della Scala, was rejected by the monks.