Ave Maria Purisima
ca. 1805-1832
38.5" x 28" Framed: 44.5" x 33.75"
Painting, oil on canvas
Region: Spain
38.5" x 28" Framed: 44.5" x 33.75"
Painting, oil on canvas
Region: Spain
This painting depicts the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, a popular subject in Catholic art, especially following Pope Alexander VII's bulls in favor of the dogma.
Mary is shown standing on a crescent moon, which is associated with the Woman of the Apocalypse, and crushing a serpent (symbolizing victory over Satan) amidst clouds and a host of cherubs. Her hands are often crossed in prayer or outstretched, as seen here, and she gazes toward heaven.
The Latin inscription at the bottom of the canvas reads, “Tota pulchra es Maria et macula originalis non est inte tu gloria jerusalem tu laetitia ysrael tu honorificentia populi nostri..." This translates to, "You are all fair, Mary, and the original stain [of sin] is not in you. You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel, the honor of our people". This text is an ancient Marian hymn used as an antiphon for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
The text further indicates that the Bishop of Córdoba, Don Pedro Antonio de Trevilla, granted forty days of indulgence for saying the Ave Maria Purisima before this image.
Pedro Antonio Trevilla served as the Bishop of Córdoba from 1805 until his death in 1832, and was the likely commisioner of this piece.
Trevilla was born on October 29, 1755, in Ranero de Carranza, Spain and earned a doctorate in Canon Law. Before becoming Bishop of Córdoba, he held other significant church positions, including a canonry in Toledo and serving as vicar of Orán and Toledo. He was appointed Bishop of Córdoba on June 26, 1805, and served in that role for over 27 years until his death on December 15, 1832. His principal consecrator was Luis María Cardinal de Borbón y Vallábriga, the Archbishop of Toledo.
For this work, the Bishop would have engaged either a talented local artist, or else a well-regarded studio in Córdoba or Seville - known centers for religious painting. These artists often worked in the late Spanish Baroque style, heavily influenced by earlier masters like Antonio Palomino and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.
The piece may have been painted by Patricio Furriel, an artisan known for significant restoration and mosaic work at the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba in 1815-1816. While documented for mosaics and organ work, he was clearly an active and trusted artisan employed by the church during Trevilla's time, making him a plausible candidate for other church commissions, including this painting.
Another candidate for the work’s creation is Antonio María Esquivel, a slightly younger contemporary who trained in Seville and was known for religious paintings and portraits that followed the style of Murillo.
Mary is shown standing on a crescent moon, which is associated with the Woman of the Apocalypse, and crushing a serpent (symbolizing victory over Satan) amidst clouds and a host of cherubs. Her hands are often crossed in prayer or outstretched, as seen here, and she gazes toward heaven.
The Latin inscription at the bottom of the canvas reads, “Tota pulchra es Maria et macula originalis non est inte tu gloria jerusalem tu laetitia ysrael tu honorificentia populi nostri..." This translates to, "You are all fair, Mary, and the original stain [of sin] is not in you. You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel, the honor of our people". This text is an ancient Marian hymn used as an antiphon for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
The text further indicates that the Bishop of Córdoba, Don Pedro Antonio de Trevilla, granted forty days of indulgence for saying the Ave Maria Purisima before this image.
Pedro Antonio Trevilla served as the Bishop of Córdoba from 1805 until his death in 1832, and was the likely commisioner of this piece.
Trevilla was born on October 29, 1755, in Ranero de Carranza, Spain and earned a doctorate in Canon Law. Before becoming Bishop of Córdoba, he held other significant church positions, including a canonry in Toledo and serving as vicar of Orán and Toledo. He was appointed Bishop of Córdoba on June 26, 1805, and served in that role for over 27 years until his death on December 15, 1832. His principal consecrator was Luis María Cardinal de Borbón y Vallábriga, the Archbishop of Toledo.
For this work, the Bishop would have engaged either a talented local artist, or else a well-regarded studio in Córdoba or Seville - known centers for religious painting. These artists often worked in the late Spanish Baroque style, heavily influenced by earlier masters like Antonio Palomino and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.
The piece may have been painted by Patricio Furriel, an artisan known for significant restoration and mosaic work at the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba in 1815-1816. While documented for mosaics and organ work, he was clearly an active and trusted artisan employed by the church during Trevilla's time, making him a plausible candidate for other church commissions, including this painting.
Another candidate for the work’s creation is Antonio María Esquivel, a slightly younger contemporary who trained in Seville and was known for religious paintings and portraits that followed the style of Murillo.
