Theodosius Repulsed from the Church by Saint Ambrose
Alessandro Magnasco (Italian, 1667–1749)
c. 1705
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Materials & printing
Archival matte paper, 189 g/m² (10.3 mil), sourced from Japan, printed with multicolor water-based inkjet so every brushstroke stays crisp. Framed prints arrive ready to hang in a .75″ ayous-wood frame with an acrylite front.
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About this work
This painting depicts a historical event from the year 390 when Ambrose, the archbishop of Milan, refused to give communion to Emperor Theodosius I until he made public penance for the massacre of thousands of innocents after an insurrection. Theodosius, the last emperor to command the entire Roman Empire, eventually submitted to the archbishop’s moral authority.
The brushwork and arrangement of figures in this composition showcase Alessandro Magnasco’s fluid, energetic style. However, for the elaborate background edifice, an imaginary interpretation of the atrium of an early Christian church, he most likely employed an unidentified specialist in architectural painting.
- Artist
- Alessandro Magnasco (Italian, 1667–1749)
- Date
- c. 1705
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Origin
- Italy
- Style
- 18th Century
- Collection
- Painting and Sculpture of Europe
- Reference
- 1961.43 · Art Institute of Chicago