Murillo

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, one of the most notable Baroque painters from Spain, was baptized on January 1, 1618, in Seville, Spain. Murillo became renowned for his religious works, as well as his depictions of contemporary women and children from Seville. His style was known for its use of soft, warm colors and light, bringing a delicate and intimate feeling to his religious and genre paintings.

'The Young Beggar' was one of Murillo's first genre paintings and demonstrates his skill in capturing the essence of lower-class life in Seville. Painted in 1645, this artwork marks Murillo's departure from exclusively religious themes to include depictions of everyday life. His empathetic portrayals earned him a reputation as a painter of great humanity, offering insight into the 17th-century Spanish society.

In 1660, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo co-founded the Academy of Art in Seville. The organization aimed to foster artistic talent within the region, following the Italian tradition of formal art education. Murillo served as its first President, using his influence to elevate the status of local artists and promote the stylistic Baroque movement throughout Spain and beyond.

'The Immaculate Conception of the Escorial' is considered one of Murillo's masterpieces, completed in 1678. This painting, which represents the Virgin Mary, exemplifies Murillo's hallmark tints of azure and white. It is now famous for its ethereal beauty and grace, influencing subsequent representations of the Virgin Mary in Spanish art. This work remains iconic in art historical studies of Marian imagery and Spanish Baroque.

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo passed away on April 3, 1682, in Seville, Spain. His death marked the end of an era for Spanish Baroque painting, wherein Murillo had become one of the central figures. His works continued to influence not just Spanish but European art for generations. Today, Murillo is remembered primarily for his tender and luminous portrayals of religious subjects, as well as his sensitive depictions of street life.

During the mid-19th century, around 1846, interest in Murillo's work surged in America. There was a cultural movement that favored European baroque art, and Murillo's sweet and tender depictions resonated with American art collectors and institutions. This period marked the beginning of Murillo's recognition as an important figure in the context of the Western Art Canon outside of Europe.

In 1933, a retrospective of Murillo's work revealed the depth of his influence on 20th-century Spanish artists. Over the years, Murillo's distinctive style and subject matter continued to resonate with artists and scholars. His genre paintings, with their tender depictions of everyday life and his religious compositions, stayed relevant as they were re-interpreted through modernist lenses, invigorating his legacy in Spain.

In 1956, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York acquired several of Murillo's well-regarded paintings, significantly contributing to the dissemination and appreciation of his art in the Western world. This acquisition was part of a broader trend during the 1950s of museums seeking to expand their holdings of European masters, recognizing Murillo's pivotal role in Baroque painting.

The summer of 1982 marked the first comprehensive exhibition of Murillo's art in the United States, taking place at the Washington National Gallery, among other venues. This exhibition brought to light many lesser-known works of Murillo, helping to reassess his impact on the Baroque period and bridging greater academic interest and public appreciation of his contributions to religious and genre painting.

In 2017, Spain celebrated the 400th anniversary of Murillo's birth with numerous events including exhibitions, lectures, and public displays of his work. The city of Seville, the painter's birthplace, hosted a program called 'Year of Murillo' that featured displays of his most famous pieces, offering new scholarship and perspectives on his influence on Baroque art and his legacy in European culture.