Artwork
The Patrician's Dream
The Patrician's Dream is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. It dates from 1664 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
The Patrician's Dream is a painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. It was created in 1664.
The painting is also known as The Foundation of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. This title suggests that the painting depicts a scene related to the foundation of a church.
To learn more about the style and techniques used in this painting, look up the technique of chiaroscuro.
Overview
The Patrician's Dream is an oil on canvas painting created by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo in 1664 or 1665. It is now held in the Museo del Prado, where it has been since 1901.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a scene related to the foundation of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, specifically the dream of Patrician John, which is part of a narrative that unfolds across multiple works.
History & Provenance
Originally part of a set of four paintings for the church of Santa María la Blanca in Seville, The Patrician's Dream was looted by Marshal Soult during the Napoleonic Wars, later returned to Spain in 1816, and initially placed in the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.
Context
The church of Santa María la Blanca, originally a synagogue, was remodelled between 1662 and 1665 to commemorate Pope Alexander VII's Apostolic Constitution instituting the feast of the Immaculate Conception, for which Murillo's paintings were commissioned.
Technique & Style
The painting is characterized by the use of chiaroscuro, a technique that utilizes strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of depth and volume.
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.
The Light of the World
The Flight to Egypt
Adoración de los Reyes Magos
The Virgin and Child with Saints Elizabeth and John
Adoration of the Shepherds
Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Birth of St John the Baptist
The Adoration of the shepherds
Anbetung der Hirten
The Adoration of the Shepherds
Geburt Mariae
The Foundation of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. The Patrician recounts his Dream to the Pope