Bartolomé Esteban Murillo obtains in 1645 his first important commission for a convent in his hometown of Seville where he will spend his entire career. He is 28 years old. The Holy Family is a prime theme in the expectations of his customers. He brings a high originality by minimizing the sacred symbols. His sitters and their very colorful textiles are local, bringing kindness and proximity.
The intimate theme of Madonna and Child with a Rosary contributes to his early successes. One of them, hung until 1810 in the sacristy of a Sevillan convent, is for sale on October 4 in Madrid by Alcala Subastas with a starting price of € 750K, lot 351. From the sharpness of its drawing this work can be dated before 1650. It is signed, and the doubts raised in the last century about its authenticity were cancelled after a recent restoration that revealed the original impasto.
The seated Mother holds the Child on her lap. The halo barely visible in the dark background over the head of the Child is the only mystical symbol and the rosary with its hanging cross is the only liturgical attribute. The young woman is attentive and the child smiles confidently.
This oil on canvas 168 x 112 cm is comparable to another example of similar dimensions owned by the Louvre and exhibited since 1949 at the Musée d'Art Hispanique in Castres. The position of the rosary in the hands of the Child is different.
unsold
The intimate theme of Madonna and Child with a Rosary contributes to his early successes. One of them, hung until 1810 in the sacristy of a Sevillan convent, is for sale on October 4 in Madrid by Alcala Subastas with a starting price of € 750K, lot 351. From the sharpness of its drawing this work can be dated before 1650. It is signed, and the doubts raised in the last century about its authenticity were cancelled after a recent restoration that revealed the original impasto.
The seated Mother holds the Child on her lap. The halo barely visible in the dark background over the head of the Child is the only mystical symbol and the rosary with its hanging cross is the only liturgical attribute. The young woman is attentive and the child smiles confidently.
This oil on canvas 168 x 112 cm is comparable to another example of similar dimensions owned by the Louvre and exhibited since 1949 at the Musée d'Art Hispanique in Castres. The position of the rosary in the hands of the Child is different.
unsold
Madrid auction offers Virgin and Child by Murillo - apparently commissioned for Seville convent @alcalasubastas https://t.co/jSrHEWJhl7 (□) pic.twitter.com/w2xFvF6kHc
— AntiquesTradeGazette (@ATG_Editorial) September 23, 2017
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