Artwork
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Our Lady of Good Counsel is an unspecified painting by the Spanish Baroque Tenebrist artist Bartolomé Pérez. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
By the late 17th century, the painting entered a private or institutional collection in Spain, where it remained until at least the late 19th century.
The painting Our Lady of Good Counsel is attributed to Bartolomé Pérez and dated to 1680 based on internal records and stylistic analysis. Created during the artist’s mature period, the work was likely commissioned for a Spanish religious context, reflecting the period’s devotional focus on Marian iconography. By the late 17th century, the painting entered a private or institutional collection in Spain, where it remained until at least the late 19th century.
It subsequently entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection by 2012, where it is documented as accessioned under that institution’s holdings.
Our Lady of Good Counsel by Bartolomé Pérez is held in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. According to the museum's records, the painting is inventoried under the accession number 2012.5. No prior exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Bartolomé Pérez, a Spanish Baroque painter recognized for his still lifes and scenographic designs, created Our Lady of Good Counsel in 1690. This devotional painting portrays the revered religious figure of the Virgin Mary, a prominent subject in Spanish art of the era. The work is presently housed within the collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art, representing Pérez's contribution to sacred art.
Subject & Meaning
The central figures are the Virgin Mary, identified by the Spanish inscription "Senora del Buen Consejo" (Our Lady of Good Counsel) above her, and the Christ Child, both radiating with golden halos. They are enveloped by a host of cherubs, some airborne, others holding symbolic items like flowers and books. Below, two robed men kneel in adoration, grounding the celestial vision within a context of earthly reverence.
Technique & Style
Pérez rendered this painting in the tenebrist style, which employs stark contrasts of light and shadow, known as chiaroscuro, to heighten dramatic effect. This technique illuminates the divine figures, causing them to emerge from a richly detailed background of gold, roses, and swirling clouds. The overall composition balances a sense of heavenly grandeur with a soft, inviting color palette, creating a profound spiritual ambiance.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomé Pérez de la Dehesa (1634 – 16 January 1693) was a Spanish painter of the Baroque period.
- Immaculate Conception
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Lactatio of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
Saint Ildefonso receiving the Chasuble
Immaculata
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception
The Virgin with the Blessing Child in Glory, adored by Angels, Saints, Prayers and a Donor
The Madonna with the Seven Founders of the Servite Order
The Immaculate Conception
Visão de São Francisco de Assis e os Sete Mártires de Marrocos
Die Himmelfahrt Mariae