Exhibition "The Worst of All Sinners": Painting by Vladislovas Neveravičius "The Repentant St. Mary Magdalene", 4 April 2022 – 31 January 2023

Very few works of the old Lithuanian art are known for such immense popularity and enthusiastic response by the contemporaries as the Repentant St. Mary Magdalene by Władysław Niewiarowicz (also known by his alias Jan Tysiewicz, 1814/1815–1891). The depiction of the saint created following the work of Belgian painter Jean Baptiste Lodewijk Maes (1794–1856) was not just a mere copy. The work painted during the artist’s studies in Vienna was soon awarded a gold medal and purchased. Upon acquiring the work, the officer, writer and musician Felix Boznański (c. 1793 – c. 1860) began to showcase it across Europe in a solo painting exhibition. Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Lviv, Warsaw, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Grodno, Poznan, Vilnius… The entire journey was followed by abundant press reviews, famous cultural figures mentioned the work in their letters, even poems were written to honour the painting, and it was frequently labelled as masterpiece, a triumph of the artist. What was the reason for such acclaim?

Niewiarowicz’s painting is a masterfully executed ambitious interpretation of the prototype. The viewers were, and still are, fascinated by the meticulous drawing, the colours, and the impressive chiaroscuro. With these techniques, the artist managed to create a particularly vivid, carnal image of the saint. Contemporaries noticed it saying that “in other paintings dedicated to Magdalene, one sees only utter repentance, absolute anti-sensuality; in other words, in a skinny and tired face, in the sagging and tortured body, one sees only the soul; while here, there is sin, repentance, uncertainty, power, body, and spirit all in one.” Finally, no less important for the influence and popularity of the painting was its smart display with complementing theatrical and optical illusions that enhanced the glow effect and real-life impression.

The exhibition consists of four parts: "Vladislovas Neveravičius", "The Birth and Appreciation of the Work", "The Repentant St. Mary Magdalene", "The Source of Inspiration". In addition to the most famous painting by the artist, visitors will also see other works by Neveravičius, get acquainted with the history of the painting's exhibition, and hear the story of St. Peter's Cathedral. Poems dedicated to Magdalene.

This exhibition is part of the project "Illusion. Connections of Epochs".  The aim of the project is to present the works of authors from different eras, questioning the concepts of reality and authenticity through visual tricks. With the help of art criticism research, original architectural solutions and accompanying event programmes, the ideological parallels connecting the epochs, the ability of art to speak on relevant issues, and to influence the intellectual and physical senses of the viewer are revealed.