Salvador Dalic masterpiece lent to the Spanish Gallery in Bishop Auckland will help tell the story of the Spanish Golden Age during the five-month installation.
The artwork titled Christ of Saint John of the Cross has been transferred to its temporary home in County Durham and will be displayed alongside El Greco’s Christ on the Cross – uniting the two Spanish masterpieces.
El Greco depicts Christ as a living man with the dramatic contrasts of light that speak to an experience of fear, forcing the viewer to come face to face with the suffering of Christ.
While Dali presents a beautiful but anonymous figure, seen from above, emphasizing his role as the Son of God and the magnitude of his sacrifice.
Founder of The Auckland Project’s Jonathan Ruffer thanked the “wonderfully generous” Glasgow Life Museum for lending the painting, adding that “just words of thanks really aren’t enough”.
He told the PA news agency: “I’ve always been a big believer in the power of incongruity and one of the reasons we have a Spanish gallery is because it’s so unlikely that such a thing exists.
“Having a photo as important as Dali’s is truly a wonderful thing.
“The Spanish Gallery is about the Spanish Golden Age that really took off from the 1590s and was probably completed 70 or 80 years after that.
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“We’re telling a story and the Dali photo really helps us tell that story. The crucifixion is probably the most painted of all the religious images in the world.
“The death of Christ was really central in the 17th century and here we have someone painting a painting that in the 50’s was very old fashioned to do, and almost unique to do it with the sense of realism that Dali brought. it begs the question of what that image is about and when you place it next to El Greco, whose depictions of the crucifixion are extremely powerful, it asks the question of what you see when you look at these things.
“It’s no longer about the two pictures in front of you and it’s about you, what do you see when you look at it.”
The masterpiece arrived at the gallery on Tuesday prior to its public display from July 9 to December 4.
Speaking of seeing the masterpiece for the first time, Mr Ruffer added: “It’s bigger than you might think, we’re used to seeing it on a postcard.
“I went on holiday to Croatia three or four years ago and next to the main street was a tattoo parlor and you could choose from 15 different things to get tattooed, one of which was Dali’s crucifixion, how about fame.”
The Spanish Gallery is the first gallery in the UK dedicated to the art, history and culture of Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries and was officially opened by the Queen of Spain.
Duncan Dornan, Head of Glasgow Life Museums and Collections, said: “Representing this precious painting in a new way allows us to increase our understanding of the incredible artist, Salvador Dali, who painted this iconic piece of art, which continues to be a favorite with Glasgow residents and visitors alike.” from the city.
“Glasgow’s art collection is considered to be one of the finest in Europe and lending key pieces allows people across the country to view and enjoy them, enhancing our reputation.”