The Vision of Saint Ignatius
Artist
Giovanni Battista Gaulli
(Italian,1639–1709)
Date1684–1685
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensionscanvas: 71.8 x 35.9 cm (28 1/4 x 14 1/8 in.)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineCharlotte E.W. Buffington Fund
Terms
Object number1974.298
Label TextThis painting is thought to be a model for a large altarpiece intended for Sant'Ignatio, one of the major Jesuit churches in Rome. The final commission, however, appears never to have been completed. Appropriately, the subject represents a key event in the life of Saint Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuit order. In 1537, while on his way to Rome, Ignatius had a vision in which God the Father and Christ instructed him to establish a religious community in that city. The Jesuit order grew dramatically, helping to spread the influence of the Roman Catholic Church around the world during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century, the period of the Counter Reformation. It was toward the end of that time that Baccicio became one of the most prominent painters in Rome. His skill at depicting mystical visions makes him one of the masters of Italian Baroque art.ProvenanceP&D Colnaghi & Co. Ltd, 14 Old Bond Street, London W1X 4JL, EnglandOn View
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