Theodosius Repulsed from the Church by Saint Ambrose

c. 1705

This painting depicts an event from the year 390 when Ambrose, the archbishop of Milan, refused to give communion to Emperor Theodosius I until he made public penance for the massacre of thousands. The brushwork and arrangement of figures showcase Alessandro Magnasco’s fluid, energetic style. However, for the background, he most likely employed an unidentified specialist in architectural painting.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Alessandro Magnasco (Italian, 1667–1749)

Date

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.)

Origin

Italy

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Clyde M. Carr Fund