New Chicago art exhibit seeks to capture Catholic life in Middle Ages Europe

AMERICA | JESUIT REVIEW
By @MikeOLoughlin

Master of the Bigallo Crucifix. Crucifix, 1230/1240. The Art Institute of Chicago, A. A. Munger Collection.

CHICAGO - War and religion, two constants of life during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance, are the subjects of a new permanent exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago offering visitors a look at more than 700 artifacts, including restored altarpieces, personal devotional items and elaborate clerical vestments and suits of armor. Anchoring the religious side of the exhibit—the sacred and profane are kept separate—is the Ayala Altarpiece, which was housed in a private chapel in 14th-century Spain. The painted wooden altarpiece, which stands eight feet tall and 24 feet wide, took three years to restore. [link]

Art Institute of Chicago: “Saints and Heroes: Art of Medieval and Renaissance Europe,” (Ends December 31, 2017);111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL; (312) 443-3600; artic.edu