This unique exhibition draws together the traditions of 17^th century Spain, the Roman Catholic church and the Spanish tradition of wood carving and polychrome (painted in different colours). This exhibition transports us back to Spain and a new art that emerged in order to revitalise the Catholic Church, the art focussed on realism. This exhibition takes us through six rooms and seeks to make real the suffering of Jesus through his death on the cross, the agony of Mary and the devotion of his followers. The exhibition unabashedly illuminates this intention in the dimly lit rooms reminiscent of the churches in Seville that would have been lit by a small elevated window and a few scattered flickering candles. This drama is further emphasised in the titles given to each room, the first room ‘The art of painting sculpture: the quest for reality and ‘Meditations on Death’ through to the last room entitled ‘Sala de Profundis’ (a room for the dead) in which a single painting, Zurbarán's Saint Serapion (1628) illuminates the dark space. The painting depicts Serapion just before his martyrdom which was particularly gruesome, he is serene no blood or bruises are visible all hidden behind his white and gold drapery, emphasising the glorification of his martyrdom. There can be no escaping the intensity of the atmosphere, as the exhibition seeks to bring alive the story of the passion and its aftermath through sculptures, paintings and music which is optional.

The exhibition is by all accounts multilayered and somewhat surreal. The sculptures are not convincingly life-like to our trained eye today; the slightly plastic appearance of these polychrome figures is evidence of this. These sculptures would not be mistaken for being real, since they now compete with the realism of animation in most recent years and a new revival of polychrome sculpture in ‘kitch’ Pop Art. However these Spanish polychrome sculptures are more than plastic looking ornaments or wax works. In this exhibition we see perhaps for the first time, expert detailed polychrome sculptors. They are as real as they could possibly be. The polychrome which would have been painting by another expert artist is done to precision with bruises, blood, strained veins and broken skin and the use of real hair for eyebrows, glass to create the eyes and ivory or bone for the teeth. It is an exceptional representation, a unique and detailed insight into the suffering of Jesus. The detail and precision in these polychrome sculptures which once made them so popular in Spain, helps emphasise meaning, in this case literal meaning and tangible presence. It is in the remarkable attention to detail, the crucifixion itself and the tangible sculptures that we see a distinctive realism emerge.

Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Zurbarán are the only two well known artists in this exhibition. Zurbarán who painted mostly for monastic orders dominates the exhibition. Others include Juan Martínez Montañés, Pedro de Mena and Francisco Pacheco teacher to Velázquez, all are virtually unknown outside of Spain and yet they all complement each other. The mixture of Spanish religious paintings from the 16^th century and contemporary sculpture creates a thoughtful narrative of Christ’s crucifixion and depictions of devotion in its varied forms that make the high quality of the exhibition as a whole.

Pacheco’s Christ on the Cross (1614) oil on cedar has a considerable amount of precision, a few thin lines of blood trickle from Christ’s wounds as Christ’s downward leaning body awaits its inevitable demise. Remarkably this painting manages to capture the unbearable suffering of an innocent man set apart from God if only for a short while. Dramatically set against a backdrop of darkness Christ hovers on the brink of nothingness, emptiness and yet in this image we see hope for the future. Next to Pacheco’s painting is Juan de Mesa’s Christ on the Cross (1583-1627). The bronze figure of Jesus is pulled forwards and down by the weight of the world that he must bear.

In this exhibition we see so much of the devotion of Christ’s followers and this is primarily where the tradition of the Catholic faith can be seen most prominently. Zurbaran’s painting The Virgin of Mercy of Las Cuevas (1644-55) a group of kneeling monks from the Carthusian monastery shelter underneath the out stretched mantle of Mary, with music on the headsets to accompany this piece. This painting depicts the protection, nourishment, mercy and reverence to Mary, who the Catholic Church sees as the Mother of the Church. Similarly Alonso Cano’s painting The Vision of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, also known as The Miracle of the Lactation (1601-1667) shows Mary giving milk to the Christ Child. Mary is seen as the provider for all. This may seem unfamiliar and an odd image to see, but these depictions offer valuable insights into the Catholic faith in Spain at that time and many of these images are still used for devotional purposes today.

Zurbarán’s Saint Francis in Meditation (1635-9) has moved beyond Spain to become a very well known masterpiece, inspiring later works like Manet’s Monk and Prayer (1864) and Francis Bacon in “Figure Studies I and II” (1945-1946). In Zurbarán’s solitary depiction of Saint Francis in a cell, Francis is on bended knees covered in a torn brown woollen habit, his face hidden behind his cowl, only partially visible by a single ray of light. Francis looks upwards ready and longing for his earthly life to end and asking to be united with God. We are reminded that when all else is gone nothing seems as important as a relation with God and at that moment the painting enables us to enter into complete devotion. Zurbarán’s painting captures the mystical life of devotion and shows that to be led to God is to be led out of darkness into light.

Despite the several depictions of Christ on the cross and the theme of Christ’s suffering and mourning in this exhibition, it is not monotonous; each depiction finds its own voice and stands alone as a devotional piece. Even though the intermingling of sculpture and painting side by side gives slightly more of a gallery feel, the sense of awe and wonder is not lost. So strong is the devotional element that rather than the art becoming pieces in a gallery the gallery becomes the church or rather the divine. The art work transcends the space. The short film accompanying the exhibition shows the procession by candlelight through the streets of Seville and Vallodolid during Holy week where some of these large and lightweight sculptures would be taken to the streets. This art expresses Spanish belief during this period, the moral codes, aesthetic preferences and marginalisation and exclusion as well as being a means to help cope with them.

In the blood and gore we see the suffering made real. In Mena’s Mary Magdalene meditating on the Crucifixion (1664) the painting in the background in the fourth room, we see through Mary that this suffering is real and it happened for us. Curator Rev Hanvey said that “it depicts the reality of this immense love that someone could endure this for me”. This exhibition validates our own suffering and the suffering of so many. We gain strength to live through our suffering and even embrace it where possible. We can take courage in the knowledge that the important thing about the suffering of Christ is not the suffering itself but the gesture of love, as we look forward to a new year.

This exhibition is on at the National Gallery in the Sainsbury Wing until the 24^th January 2010. There is also a free demonstration on how to make a Spanish Polychrome Sculpture in room 1.

Other exhibitions at the start of this year include The Real Van Gough 23^rd January-18^th April, also at the National Galley, tickets are on sale now, Henry Moore 24^th February-8^th August at the Tate Britain and there is a Chris Ofilli Exhibition at the Tate Britain 27th January-16th May 2010

Elizabeth Adekunle

Elizabeth Adekunle is Archdeacon of Hackney