Welcome to the third initiative of the exhibition “I Cieli Aperti”, a truly surprising and unmissable event on the cultural calendar leading up to Jubilee 2025. Opening on Monday, May 13, the exhibition “Dali’s Christ in Rome” promises a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can be enjoyed for free until June 23. Taking place in the historic church of San Marcello al Corso, located in the heart of Rome, this exhibition will showcase one of Salvador Dalí’s most renowned works – The Christ of Saint John of the Cross, also known as The Christ of Port Lligat. This masterpiece, an oil painting on a large canvas dating back to 1951, will be on loan from the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.
Accompanying this iconic artwork will be the object that inspired Dalí’s creation: a small drawing-relic of Christ Crucified, crafted in the 16th century by Saint John of the Cross after receiving a mystical revelation. This precious artifact is currently housed in the holy Monastery of the Incarnation in Ávila, and through the generosity of the monastery and the bishop of Ávila, Monsignor Jesús Rico García, it will be making its way to Rome for this special exhibition.
Together, these two extraordinary works will be displayed side by side, offering a rare opportunity to witness a captivating dialogue between faith and hope. Despite the portrayal of Christ in both artworks seemingly burdened with suffering, viewers are invited to contemplate the divine perspective – seeing Christ from above as the Father did when the Son surrendered to His will, evoking a deep sense of mercy and connection.
This exhibition of the painting “Christ of Saint John of the Cross” marks the third installment of the art and faith series within the larger exhibition “The Jubilee is Culture”. Previous exhibitions such as “El Greco in Rome”, held from September to October 2023 at Sant’Agnese in Agone, and “100 Cribs in the Vatican”, showcased between December 2023 and January 2024, have attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors, highlighting the success and impact of these unique cultural experiences.
