Artwork
The Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is an oil painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. It dates from 1665 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo executed this oil painting in 1665, portraying the theological concept of the Immaculate Conception. The work belongs to the religious genre of the Spanish Baroque and is part of the Museo del Prado’s collection in Madrid.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the Virgin Mary, clothed in a luminous white garment beneath a blue mantle, her hands joined in prayer and her eyes lifted heavenward. She stands upon a cloud, encircled by cherubic figures and a reflective mirror, symbols that reinforce her purity and divine favor.
Technique & Style
Murillo employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, contrasting warm golden tones in the background with deep shadows to model the figures and suggest spatial depth. The delicate handling of light on the drapery and the soft modeling of the angels exemplify the Baroque emphasis on drama and atmospheric presence.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the painting has remained within Spanish collections, eventually entering the holdings of the Museo del Prado. Its attribution to Murillo, a leading painter of 17th‑century religious subjects, has been consistently affirmed by scholarly catalogues.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo ( mure-IL-oh, m(y)uu-REE-oh, Spanish: ; late December 1617, baptised 1 January 1618 – 3 April 1682) was a Spanish Baroque painter.
