Saint Didacus of Alcalá receiving alms by Annibale Carracci
Annibale Carracci's "Saint Didacus of Alcalá receiving alms," painted in 1604, holds a remarkable history of disappearance and recovery. This pivotal early Baroque work, now housed in the Museo del Prado, was once stolen and replaced by a forgery.
The painting captures Saint Didacus, a Franciscan friar, in a humble act of receiving alms. Carracci’s skillful use of light and shadow, along with the detailed rendering of figures and drapery, creates a scene of both spiritual depth and earthly reality.
In 1978, the art world was shocked when the original painting was found to have been swapped with a forgery in a clever heist. Fortunately, the genuine Carracci was later recovered alongside other stolen works, restoring it to its rightful place in the museum. Its journey from 17th-century patronage to a modern museum collection is punctuated by this unusual chapter of theft and return.
This incident adds a layer of intrigue to an already compelling work. What do you notice about the interaction between the saint and the giver?
Transcript
This painting shows Saint Didacus receiving alms. It was painted by Annibale Carracci in 1604. The giver’s generous hand offers the small alms object. Didacus humbly accepts the offering with an open palm. In 1978, this painting vanished from the Prado Museum. A forger had swapped it for a convincing copy. The original was later recovered, found with other stolen art. It hangs again today, a masterpiece once lost.