Zurbarán's Faith Questioned in National Gallery Exhibition

The National Gallery in London is hosting its first major exhibition focused on Francisco de Zurbarán, a 17th-century Spanish painter famous for his religious themes. The display includes impressive large paintings taken from churches and monasteries in Seville, all set against dramatic black walls. Viewers can expect to see scenes of crucifixions, monks, and female saints. Zurbarán's workshop produced around 120 artworks for the Spanish Americas. Interestingly, only contracts survive regarding the artist, with no personal documents left. A highlight is "The Crucified Christ with a Painter" (c. 1650), featuring an older man with brushes at the foot of the cross, possibly a self-portrait or Saint Luke. The exhibition runs until August 23 before heading to the Louvre and the Art Institute of Chicago.