Zurbarán (super)natural: light, matter and spirituality

Zurbarán's art is not limited to his mastery of light or his precision in representing reality, but stands out for his ability to create an atmosphere that seems to transcend time and space. This is precisely what the exhibition Zurbarán (super)natural, curated by Àlex Mitrani and Joan Yeguas , which will be on view at the MNAC this spring, seeks.

Francisco de Zurbarán (1598-1664), one of the most emblematic figures of the Spanish Golden Age, developed a style based on Baroque naturalism. His way of painting captures visible and tangible reality in detail, but at the same time goes beyond mere appearance to evoke a sense of transcendence. Through his work, Zurbarán explores the religious sentiment of his time, creating images that show the almost mystical dimension of everyday life.

Natura morta d’atuells, Francisco de Zurbarán (1650). MNAC

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the gathering of the three versions of The Vision of Saint Francis by Pope Nicholas V, from the Musée des Beaux Arts in Lyon , the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the MNAC collection . Zurbarán (super)naturally confronts these works, which allows us to understand how each one brings different nuances to the same scene: the moment when the Pope contemplates the mummified body of Saint Francis in the crypt of Assisi. The painter condenses a complex narrative action, focusing on the essential and showing only the subjective vision of the Pope. Zurbarán arranges the figure of Saint Francis as a work of art in a museum, working with light, space and volumes, and thus gives it strength and a prodigious presence, making it seem as if the saint's mummy takes on a life of its own. Zurbarán's sensitivity to light and volume transforms this scene into a reflection on perception, matter and the mystery of reality.

Agnus Dei, Francisco de Zurbarán (1632). Col·lecció particular

One of the most interesting aspects is the restoration of one of the versions of The Vision of Saint Francis by Pope Nicholas V, which has revealed elements hidden under layers of paint added over time and that altered the original appearance of the work. Thanks to this restoration, the depth of the scene can be better perceived, highlighting details such as the shadow cast by the saint or the upper arch of a niche, elements that can also be seen in the Lyon and Boston versions. Likewise, the volume of the figure has been recovered through details such as the folds of the habit or the facial hair – eyebrows and beard – which can now be appreciated. In addition to the three versions of Saint Francis, the exhibition brings together other outstanding works by Zurbarán, such as the two versions of Still Life of Vessels, from the Museo del Prado and the MNAC, which can be seen together in Barcelona for the first time.

Natura morta núm. 148, Toni Catany (1988). MNAC

This exhibition, however, goes beyond historical revision. Zurbarán's influence remains alive to this day and is evident in the work of contemporary artists such as Antoni Tàpies , Alfons Borrell , Joan Hernández Pijuan , Josep Guinovart , Antoni Llena , Francisco Martínez , Aurèlia Muñoz , Marta Povo , Toni Catan and Eulàlia Valldosera . Through diverse languages – ranging from abstraction to photography or installation – these artists continue to explore the spiritual dimension of matter. A double-meaning feeding is generated between historical and contemporary works and from these associations arise questions about the nature of images, the revelatory function of art, the metaphysical dimension of nature, beauty and the aspiration to a religious experience from humble everyday life. The exhibition, therefore, unfolds as a sequence of installations that seek to immerse the visitor in a dialogue between the past and the present, between the pictorial tradition of one of the golden ages of art history and the visual explorations of contemporary art.

SOS: senyals de fum des d’un subsol. Zurbarán. Antoni Llena (1942). Col·lecció de l'artista