“Light and Truth – The Lombard Legacy of Leonardo and Caravaggio”
The Lombard school of painting, shaped by the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio, stands at the crossroads of observation, theatricality, and devotion. This exhibition explores how Lombard artists navigated the dual challenge of capturing the physical world with striking realism while imbuing their works with psychological and spiritual depth. Through dramatic ... more >> "The Eye and the Hand—Reality and Representation in Lombard Painting"
The Lombard school of painting, shaped by the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio, stands at the crossroads of observation, theatricality, and devotion. This exhibition explores how Lombard artists navigated the dual challenge of capturing the physical world with striking realism while imbuing their works with psychological and spiritual depth. Through dramatic narratives, meticulous studies, and intimate portraiture, these artists created a uniquely expressive visual language that bridged the sacred and the everyday.
The exhibition unfolds across three sections, each highlighting a different facet of Lombard artistic innovation. "Drama, Devotion, and Deception—Theatricality in Lombard Painting" delves into the emotional intensity of religious martyrdom, biblical storytelling, and moral allegories. The stark realism of Caravaggio and the expressive compositions of earlier Renaissance painters like Antonio Campi and Andrea Solario heighten the tension between faith and human frailty, drawing the viewer into moments of suffering, deception, and revelation.
In contrast, "The Material and the Mystical—Portraiture, Still Life, and Everyday Observation" shifts the focus to the tangible and introspective. Lombard artists excelled at capturing the textures of flesh, fabric, and fruit with hyperrealistic precision, transforming everyday subjects into meditations on presence and transience. From the psychological nuance of Lorenzo Lotto’s portraits to the sensory richness of Fede Galizia’s still lifes, this section highlights how materiality became a means of reflection on human nature.
Finally, "The Artist’s Hand—Studies, Drawings, and the Process of Creation" unveils the intellectual and technical processes behind these masterpieces. Preparatory sketches, anatomical studies, and compositional experiments by artists such as Cesare da Sesto and Carlo Urbino reveal how observation and inquiry shaped their artistic practice. These works demonstrate the deep curiosity and discipline required to translate vision into form, merging scientific precision with expressive artistry.
Taken together, these sections present a comprehensive view of Lombard painting as a dynamic intersection of vision and craft. Whether through grand narratives or intimate studies, these artists sought to capture reality in all its complexity—both seen and felt, material and spiritual. This exhibition invites viewers to experience their mastery of light, composition, and emotion, offering a window into the Renaissance pursuit of truth through art.
