Theodosius Repulsed from the Church by Saint Ambrose
c. 1705
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
155.3 × 213.5 cm (61 1/8 × 84 1/16 in.); Framed: 189.9 × 248.3 cm (74 3/4 × 97 3/4 in.)
Classification
oil on canvas
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
12891
Art Historical Context
In the grand tradition of Baroque history painting, Alessandro Magnasco *Theodosius Rep from the Church by Saint* (c. 1705) captures a pivotal clash between imperial power and ecclesiastical authority. scene depicts the 4th-century Roman Emperor Theodosius I denied entry to Milan Cathedral by Bishop Saint Ambrose, who excommunicated him for ordering a brutal massacre in Thessalonica. This moment symbolizes the growing influence of the Christian Church over secular rulers, a theme resonant in Magnasco's era amid Counter-Reformation tensions. Magnasco, a masterful Italian late-Baroque artist fr...
About the Artist
Alessandro Magnasco · 1667–1749
Comment on works: Religious