Under the patronage of the Embassy of Italy in India, the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre New Delhi, Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Mumbai together with Serendipity Arts along with the support of MetaMorfosi Cultural Association are pleased to present the exhibition of the Magdalene in Ecstasy by Caravaggio at the 10th edition of Serendipity Arts Festival.
This marks the first time a work by Caravaggio is exhibited in Goa, bringing one of the defining figures of Western art history into direct dialogue with a contemporary, multidisciplinary cultural platform.
Created during Caravaggio’s desperate flight from Rome following a fatal duel, the painting was among three works he carried with him on his final journey toward papal pardon—a redemption he would never reach. The work captures Mary Magdalene in a moment suspended between spiritual ecstasy and human vulnerability, her face transfigured, tears streaming, embodying both repentance and transcendence.
Magdalene in Ecstasy resurfaced in the early 21st century after centuries in relative obscurity and was authenticated by leading scholars, including Mina Gregori. The painting bears historical markings associated with papal provenance. Caravaggio’s decision to represent the Magdalene without conventional attributes, retaining only the skull and the cross, signals a stark, inward turn, characteristic of his final works.
Venue: Serendipity Arts Festival | First Floor, Directorate of Accounts, Panjim, Goa
Date: 14 to 21 December 2025
Timings: 11 AM to 7 PM
Free entry upon registration (Register here)