Called the 'Spanish Caravaggio', Francisco de Zurbarán's art is dark, stark and deeply moving. Born in a small town in Extremadura, he rose to become one of the most successful and distinctive artists of the Spanish Golden Age. His sombre, meditative approach to religious subjects captured the Spanish imagination during the height of the Counter Reformation and, during his forty-year career, he decorated many of Spain's greatest cathedrals and monasteries. His work also spread beyond Spain's borders: many of his paintings were exported to the Americas and there they formed the artistic backdrop to the conversion of a continent. In this lecture, Isabelle Kent will explore Zurbarán's world and how his art stands at the intersection between Catholic faith and empire.

This summer the National Gallery is hosting the first exhibition in Britain dedicated to Zurbarán's art. We hope this lecture will enhance your enjoyment if you visit the exhibition.