Artwork
The Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition draws on established iconography that links the Virgin to celestial light and floral motifs, underscoring her purity and intercessory power.
The painting portrays the Virgin Mary in a moment of divine grace, surrounded by traditional symbols of purity such as lilies and a celestial crown. Clouds and angels reinforce the heavenly setting, emphasizing her role as the Immaculate Conception. The work conveys the theological notion of Mary’s sinless conception, a central theme in Counter‑Reformation devotional art.
The composition draws on established iconography that links the Virgin to celestial light and floral motifs, underscoring her purity and intercessory power. These visual elements collectively express the doctrinal belief in Mary’s immaculate conception and her exalted status within Catholic theology.
Technique & Style
Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra executed The Immaculate Conception using oil paint on a canvas support. The artwork measures 192.5 by 131 centimeters. As a religious painting, its primary subject is the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a theme that dictates its formal and stylistic qualities, typically characterized by a celestial and spiritual presentation of the figure.
History & Provenance
The Immaculate Conception is an oil-on-canvas painting created by Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra. While inception dates vary slightly across records, the work is associated with the year 1645 and the period of 1650. The painting depicts the Immaculate Conception of Mary and measures 192.5 cm in height and 131 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
The painting is held by the Museo del Prado, where it forms part of the museum's collection of religious works by Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra. The work is recorded in the museum's holdings as an oil on canvas measuring 192.5 × 131 cm. No specific inventory or accession number is documented in the available sources, and no exhibition history beyond its placement in the Prado's collection is recorded.
Overview
The Immaculate Conception is a 1645 oil painting by Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra, held at the Museo del Prado.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra
Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra (1616–1668) was an artist, born in Córdoba.
