British Chef-d’oeuvre’ Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy’ Presented to Abu Dhabi Arts Society

An eighteenth-century painting, named ‘Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy,’ was bestowed to the UAE by the United Kingdom as a badge of selflessness and symbol of enduring kinship between the two nations in October 2019.

Patrick Moody, the British Ambassador to the UAE, introduced the tremendous artwork to Dr. Hamed Bin Mohamed Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Arts Society. The painting was presented to mark the celebrations of the United Arab Emirates’ Year of Tolerance.

The History of ‘Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy’

‘Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy’ was painted by Ary Scheffer in 1856 and is a precious piece from the private collection of Lubin Family. Moody gifted it to the UAE on behalf of the British Government and the Lubin Family and Five Islands Capital Limited of London. The magnificent painting was given as a loan in perpetuity to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

‘Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy’ was painted in 1856, and was exhibited in the “Gems of the Art Treasures” Exhibition organized in Manchester in the United Kingdom the very same year. Scheffer lived from February 1795 to June 1858 and was a well-known quixotic painter of the time who regularly painted subjects from the book of scriptures and ancient literature. The portrait subject of Scheffer incorporated any semblance of the composer Frédéric Chopin, the writer Charles Dickens and Queen Marie Amélie, spouse of France’s King Louis Philippe I.

The masterpieces of Scheffer hangs in a portion of the world’s most fabulous art galleries and museums, like The Louver for Paris, The National Portrait Gallery in London, The Palace of Versailles and The Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

‘Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy’ was bought and kept in hidden assortments until it showed up again in 1911, when it was sold at Christie’s Auction Rooms in London, for 100 guineas which were viewed as a fortune.

The work of art vanished again until 1978 when the Lubin Family Private Collection procured it in London. It has stayed in their assortment until October 2019, when it is now presented to the UAE.

The work of art was sent to the Scheffer Museum in Dordrecht, Holland, to be cleaned by their artisan. The custodians of the gallery clarified this was the missing painting for which no authentic records existed following the Manchester Exhibition. The main proof of the canvas in 1857 was a representation in the Manchester Exhibition programme, and an inscription made at that point, at present in the Getty Collection in Los Angeles.

The Abu Dhabi Arts Society, Safeguarding The Cultural Heritage of UAE

Abu Dhabi Arts Society was built up in 2019 with the aim of regarding past Emirati artists and poets, advancing aspiring artisans from all nationalities, and overseeing and financing social ventures. ADAS is focused on improving the social condition of the network by supporting artisans bridges the social gap binding together individuals and societies, and protecting the aesthetic heritage.

Being Chairman of Abu Dhabi Arts Society, Dr. Hamed Bin Mohamed Khalifa Al Suwaidi recognized the beautiful painting of the female biblical personality as a symbol of friendship. “I accept abstract and social organizations are pivotal to building scaffolds of comprehension between people groups from around the globe.”

“From the capital of resilience, we are genuinely regarded and lowered to get such a huge blessing from the Lubin Family in the interest of the United Kingdom. “This remarkable piece by an aesthetic craftsman of his time fills in as a demonstration of the kinship between our nations and promotes our comprehension of European historical subjects and convictions. It can likewise go about as an operator of soft diplomacy contributing to make this world a better place,” elucidates Dr. Al Suwaidi.

The ADAS plans to feature the magnificence of Emirati culture through specific activities and extraordinary undertakings. It further advances non-Emirati and Emirati artisans who may not discover the right platform to seek after their passion. It also collects history projects that shed light on conspicuous figures which depict the UAE’s past and the future through arts, poetry, and literature. I believe that literary and cultural associations are vital to building scaffolds of comprehension between groups from around the globe,” says Dr. Al Suwaidi.