Spanish School. The most popular and prolific of the Spanish painters. His principal works are at the Museum in Seville and at the Prado, Madrid.
LONDON, NATIONAL GALLERY
THE HOLY FAMILY The Child stands in the centre on a stone, full face looking upwards to the right. He is in a pale pink gown. The Virgin kneels on the left holding His hand. St. Joseph kneels facing us on the right, a lily in his left hand. Overhead is the mystic Dove proceeding from the Father, who is supported by angels.
Painted at Cadiz c. 1677. It was in the possession of the family of the Marquez del Pedrosa until 1810, and is known as “The Pedrosa Murillo.”
In 1846 a petition was prepared for presentation to the House of Commons, and sent to a large number of the clergy for signature, accompanied by a woodcut of this picture, praying that certain pictures might be removed from the National Gallery as being ” blasphemous and insulting to our holy religion and direct breaches of the Second Commandment.”
Purchased from Mr. B. Owen in 1837.
A BOY DRINKING Half length, slightly to left, leaning on his left elbow, holding a square wine flask, while with his right hand he raises a long glass to his lips. Dark background.
Bequeathed by Mr. John Staniforth Beckett in 1889.
PARIS, LOUVRE
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION The Virgin, draped in a white robe with a blue mantle thrown over her left shoulder, stands facing us, turned slightly to the left, her feet in the hollow of a ” crescent moon,” her eyes lifted heavenwards, her arms crossed on her beast; around her hover angels and cherubs.
Painted in 1678 for the Hospital de los Venerables Sacredotes. Purchased in 1852 at the sale of Marshal Soult for 615,300 francs. This is considered the finest of numerous versions of the same subject.
THE ANGELS’ KITCHEN To the left two knights of Calatrava, introduced by a peasant, are watching 5t. Diego, who, lifted off the ground by the fervour of his devotion, with joined hands prays the Virgin for food for his convent. To the right are the angels busy preparing a meal, to the astonishment of the cook (a friar), who stands by the fire.
Signed on a scrap of paper in the left-hand corner, and dated I646: Painted for the Franciscans at Seville.
MADRID
THE HOLY FAMILY “DEL PAJARITO.” The Holy Family in a room; St. Joseph seated holding the Child, who stands at his right side with a goldfinch in His hand, with which He amuses a dog seated on the floor in front of Him. The Virgin watches them from the left, where she is sitting winding yarn from a reel.
Painted in the artist’s second manner.
“LOS NINOS DE LA CONCHA.” The Child and the infant St. John; the former, standing on the left, gives a drink of water in a shell to the latter, who kneels holding a cross in his left hand. On the left is a lamb. Above three cherubs. Landscape background.
Painted in the “vaporoso” manner.
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION One of the finest examples of this subject. Only the right half of the crescent is seen. Below it are four child angels with flowers, the one on the right supporting a long palm branch. In each of the upper corners four cherubim.
Painted for the Palace of St. Ildefonso: