Circle of BARTOLOME ESTEBÃN MURILLO (Seville, 1617 - 1682); 18th century.
"Christ crucified".
Oil on canvas. Re-retouched.
It has repainting and restorations.
It has a gilded frame made from antique elements.
Measurements: 80 x 54 cm; 98 x 70 cm (frame).
This work follows the models established by the master Don Bartolomé Esteban Murillo in his work "The Crucifixion", painted in 1667 and which is currently part of the collection of the Prado Museum in Madrid, although numerous versions were made, such as the one in the MET in New York. The value that Murillo's painting attained was so great that Pacheco noted it in his writings, giving it greater importance than Titian. For this reason it is not surprising that copies of his works and followers proliferated. In this particular piece the artist rescues the Christ with three nails, without excess blood, but adds a setting populated by architectural constructions that break with the sobriety of the Murillo image.
Little is known of Murillo's childhood and youth, except that he lost his father in 1627 and his mother in 1628, which is why he was taken into the care of his brother-in-law. Around 1635 he must have begun his apprenticeship as a painter, most likely with Juan del Castillo, who was married to a cousin of his. This working and artistic relationship lasted about six years, as was customary at the time. After his marriage in 1645 he embarked on what was to be a brilliant career that gradually made him the most famous and sought-after painter in Seville. The only trip he is known to have made is documented in 1658, when Murillo was in Madrid for several months. It is conceivable that while at court he kept in touch with the painters who lived there, such as Velázquez, Zurbarán and Cano, and that he had access to the collection of paintings in the Royal Palace, a magnificent subject of study for all the artists who passed through the court. Despite the few documentary references to his mature years, we know that he enjoyed a comfortable life, which enabled him to maintain a high standard of living and have several apprentices. Having become the city's leading painter, surpassing even Zurbarán in fame, he was determined to raise the artistic level of local painting. In 1660 he decided, together with Francisco Herrera el Mozo, to found an academy of painting, of which he was the main driving force. His fame spread so far throughout Spain that Palomino states that around 1670 King Charles II offered him the possibility of moving to Madrid to work there as a court painter. We do not know whether this reference is true, but the fact is that Murillo remained in Seville until the end of his life. His works are now in the most important art galleries in the world, such as the Prado Museum, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, etc.