Caravaggio Mystery Painting Arrives in Vilnius Amidst War and Debate

A painting attributed to the master artist Caravaggio, shrouded in mystery for centuries, is now on display in Vilnius, Lithuania. The exhibition challenges the notion that museums are mere graveyards for art, instead presenting them as vibrant spaces for research and dialogue.

The artwork, "The Taking of Christ," was originally added to the Mattei family collection in 1602. Caravaggio painted the dramatic scene of Judas' betrayal, possibly including a self-portrait holding a lamp. The painting cost 125 scudi, while a copy by Giovanni di Attilio made over a decade later for the same family cost only 12 scudi.

Both original works were listed in the Mattei collections in 1729, but their paths diverged. One version surfaced in Dublin and was linked to Caravaggio only in the late 20th century. Another appeared in Paris in the 19th century, eventually acquired by Ukrainian-born diplomat and collector Aleksandr Bazilevsky, potentially one of the Mattei canvases. This sparked a debate among researchers that continues to this day.

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This exhibition refutes the notion that 'a museum is a graveyard of art.' The painting from Ukraine gives meaning to the museum as a living space for research and dialogue, where objects at the center of attention are surrounded by questions, and answers are patiently pieced together from intuition, technological analysis, and factual fragments.

At least twelve versions of "The Taking of Christ" are known globally. A leading hypothesis suggests the painting housed in the Odessa Museum of Western and Eastern Art is the earliest copy made after Caravaggio's original. The artwork's recent history is as dramatic as its origins: stolen in 2008, found damaged in Berlin two years later, and then began restoration in Ukraine a decade after the theft.

Following the termination of a court case due to the statute of limitations, the piece was presented in Kyiv. After a perilous journey through war-torn Ukraine, it arrived at the Lithuanian National Museum of Art's Pranas Gudynas Restoration Center. A team of restorers and researchers has ensured its safe display and conducted analyses.

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Our and our partners' most important mission in Ukraine was to get the painting out of the war zone. Now the museum exhibit is in the hands of researchers, restorers, and museum staff. We will exhibit the painting for two years in the Vilnius Picture Gallery and the Pranas Domšaitis Gallery.