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Although this painting has been included in various exhibitions
and is an extremely important work by Maíno, it is barely known.
Thanks to research undertaken at the Museum
we now know that it was painted for the Carmelite monks of Toledo.
It is an exceptionally significant painting, not just because it is the largest ever executed by Maíno, apart from The Recapture of Bahía in Brazil,
but also because of the interesting iconographical presentation of the Magdalen,
seen here as another member of the group of Apostles.
This concept is also found in the other version of the Pentecost, in the collection of the Prado.
Also important is Maíno’s use of what seem to be real portraits,
including the figures of some of the Apostles, which is again is characteristic of the artist.
Here we are seeing the process of restoration.
The painting was restored around 30 years ago,
but is now recovering all its luminosity and textures,
while various small defects that appeared before it belonged to the Museum are being repaired.
This process of restoration is of great importance for the Museum’s collections and for Maíno’s oeuvre.
Another important restoration project is being carried out on the canvas of an innovative portrait
that has been loaned for the exhibition from Evora Cathedral in Portugal.
This is the portrait of an archbishop who met Philip III and the Prince of Asturias, the future Philip IV, during a visit by the royal retinue that also included Maíno.
The painting has arrived from Evora in poor condition
and we are now working on the canvas in order to stabilise the entire work.
Again, this is an important restoration project being undertaken at the Museum.