Skip to Content
Closed today, next open Thursday. Closed today, next open Thursday.

Theodosius Repulsed from the Church by Saint Ambrose

A work made of oil on canvas.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of oil on canvas.

Date:

c. 1705

Artist:

Alessandro Magnasco (Italian, 1667–1749)

About this artwork

This painting depicts a historical 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 of innocents after an insurrection. Theodosius, the last emperor to command the entire Roman Empire, eventually submitted to the archbishop’s moral authority.

The brushwork and arrangement of figures in this composition showcase Alessandro Magnasco’s fluid, energetic style. However, for the elaborate background edifice, an imaginary interpretation of the atrium of an early Christian church, he most likely employed an unidentified specialist in architectural painting.

Status

On View, Gallery 215

Department

Painting and Sculpture of Europe

Artist

Alessandro Magnasco

Title

Theodosius Repulsed from the Church by Saint Ambrose

Place

Italy (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1700–1710

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.)

Credit Line

Clyde M. Carr Fund

Reference Number

1961.43

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/12891/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Learn more

Image actions

Share