Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), 'Boy bitten by a Lizard', c.1594-5. © The National Gallery, London.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), 'Boy bitten by a Lizard', c.1594-5. © The National Gallery, London. Credit

Press release 4/5/2017

Last chance to see Beyond Caravaggio at the National Gallery of Ireland       

Exhibition must end 14 May 2017

There are just 10 days left to see the National Gallery of Ireland’s exhibition, Beyond Caravaggio which must end on Sunday 14 May 2017. 

Over 50,000 visitors have seen the exhibition since it opened on 11 February, and some 9,000 people have attended 381 events organised around the show, comprising tours, pop-up-talks, family, youth and school programmes, music performances and special evening talks. Many of the public events were sold out in advance and 100% desired capacity was achieved on all events both ticketed and non-ticketed.

The exhibition presents 42 major works from the sixteenth and seventeenth century, four of which are master paintings by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610). Many of the works in the show are on loan from private collections, and regional galleries, and so this is a rare opportunity for visitors to see works not easily available to the public.

Sean Rainbird, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland says:

“The exhibition has received great feedback from visitors both in Ireland and abroad. We highly recommend that people come to see this show before it ends on 14 May after which it will travel to the National Gallery in Edinburgh. This is an exhibition of exceptional quality which has brought the most celebrated paintings by Caravaggio and his contemporaries from museums all over the world. It is a show not likely to be repeated for some time.”

Tickets to the exhibition range from €5 to €15 and Friends of the National Gallery of Ireland go free. Book online www.nationalgallery.ie. The accompanying audio guide is free with ticket admission. Last admission to the exhibition is 4.45pm on Sunday 14 May. 

The exhibition will tour its final venue at the National Gallery, Edinburgh from 17 June to 24 September 2017

 

Upcoming

  • On 15 June 2017, the National Gallery of Ireland will reopen its historic wings following a major refurbishment programme. 
  • On 17 June 2017, the Gallery presents ‘Vermeer and the Masters of Genre Painting: Inspiration and Rivalry’. 

 

About Beyond Caravaggio: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) is widely acknowledged as bringing a revolution to painting during the Baroque period with his dramatic use of light and uncompromising realism. His work had a long-lasting and wide-reaching influence across Europe. This exhibition shows the ways in which a large number of artists adopted Caravaggio’s ideas and developed them to become masters in their own right. Four major works by Caravaggio will take centre stage in the exhibition: The Supper at Emmaus, 1601 (National Gallery, London); The Taking of Christ, 1602 (National Gallery of Ireland), as well as two works never exhibited before in Ireland: Boy Bitten by a Lizard, 1594-95 (National Gallery, London) and Boy Peeling Fruit, c.1592 (The Royal Collection). Other important works by his followers include a number of French artists, such as Valentin de Boulogne’s Concert with Three Figures, Georges de la Tour’s Dice Players and Nicolas Regnier’s Saint Sebastian being tended by Saint Irene.

Organisers: This exhibition is a unique collaboration between the National Gallery, London, the National Gallery of Ireland and the National Galleries of Scotland.  

Catalogue: Accompanying the exhibition is a fully illustrated catalogue, published in hardback by the National Gallery Company, London, in association with the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, and the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh. Authors: Letitzia Treves, with contributions by Aidan Weston-Lewis, Gabriele Finaldi, Christian Tico Seifert, Adriaan E. Waiboer, Francesca Whitlum-Cooper and Marjorie E. Wieseman (Gallery Shop (€25hb). 

 

Testimonials

 “…a fantastic exhibition…”

Brian Fay, RTE R1 Arena

 

 “…outstanding exhibition...”

Aidan Dunne, The Irish Times

 

“This year’s must-see exhibition…once seen, a Caravaggio masterpiece will be seared on your memory.”

Andrew Lynch, Irish Independent Review

 

“…a masterpiece of surprise…”

Jonathan Jones, The Guardian

 

 “Caravaggio’s light comes in from everywhere, from within, it is just so magnificent… this is the one to go to.”

Marie Louise O’Donnell, RTE R1 Today with Sean O’Rourke