Alegoría de la Iglesia

Rendered in oil on canvas, the painting combines the lightness of Rococo with the disciplined composition typical of Neoclassicism. Bayeu employs a subtle chiaroscuro, allowing the dark background to contrast with the softly illuminated clouds, thereby emphasizing the ethereal atmosphere and the figures’ delicate forms.

Created toward the end of Bayu’s prolific period, the work entered the Museo del Prado’s holdings, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s commitment to preserving Spanish Neoclassical art and the artist’s contributions to religious iconography.

Bayeu, a contemporary of Goya, was active in the late eighteenth‑century Spanish court, producing frescoes and canvases that blended religious narrative with emerging Enlightenment aesthetics. *Alegoría de la Iglesia* exemplifies his ability to integrate allegorical content within the decorative sensibilities of the Rococo movement.