The Virgin and Child with Saints c. 1665 - 1670

Bartolomé Estebán Murillo painted the Virgin and Child with Saints in oil on canvas sometime in the mid-17th century. In this image, the Virgin Mary and Jesus float on a cloud surrounded by adoring angels, while below them, saints look up in supplication. The painting was made in Spain, a place and time of strong religious feeling, both personal and institutional. Murillo was a leading artist in Seville, a center of Catholic art during the Counter-Reformation. This was a time when the Catholic Church sought to reaffirm its doctrines and inspire religious fervor, often through art. Murillo's work reflects the period’s emphasis on both ecstatic piety and also a more intimate, human connection to the divine. By studying Murillo’s painting, we can consider the social function of religious art and the ways it was used to shape cultural values. Researching the religious environment of 17th-century Seville and the patronage of the Catholic Church can help us better understand the painting’s meaning and purpose.