The Sacred Made Real Exhibition

'Dead Christ' (c1625-30), a sculpture by Gregorio Fernández
Photo: Imagen MAS

'The Sacred Made Real' at the National Gallery is a groundbreaking exhibition of hyper-real religious works that will change the way we see art.

Courtesy of The Telegraph

In the northern Spanish city of Valladolid, I am examining the corpse of a man who has suffered a terrible and sustained assault. His eyes are glazed in death, his mouth hangs open, his body is covered in a mass of wounds and lacerations. It is quite hard to look at, yet at the same time it is beautiful. “This,” says Maria Bolanos, the director of the Museo Nacional Colegio de San Gregorio, which I am visiting, “is our Rokeby Venus!”

She is joking, of course, but only a little. We are contemplating 'Dead Christ' (c1625-30) by Gregorio Fernández, one of the great masterpieces of 17th-century Spanish sculpture. Next week it goes on show as one of the star exhibits in a remarkable and ground-breaking exhibition at the National Gallery, The Sacred Made Real...for more click here.

You can read a review of the exhibition by Richard Dorwent here.

The Sacred Made Real is at the National Gallery from Wednesday October 21.

Even better, let Archbishop Vincent Nichols take you through it.

Thank God for those genius Spanish artists c.1600-1700! I don't know about you, but I can feel another parish coach outing coming on!