Francisco Meneses Osorio (1640-1721) "Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus"

Oil on canvas. The work is a magnificent example of the Sevillian school of painting, strongly influenced by the models of its master, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, in which devotion to the Holy Family is exalted with great tenderness and delicacy. In the central plane are the full-length figures of Saint Joseph, depicted with a youthful face and gentle gaze, dressed in a dark tunic and a wide, flowing mantle in ochre tones, while holding a staff of flowering lilies in his left hand. Beside him, the Christ Child walks, holding his right hand, wearing a pinkish tunic cinched with a blue sash and gazing towards the viewer. The scene is enveloped in a celestial atmosphere pierced by a glory of clouds populated by numerous cherubs and angels in complex foreshortening. The soft, ethereal lighting highlights the gentleness of the faces through a delicate chiaroscuro reminiscent of Murillo, lending a solemn and intimate air to the composition. The piece is presented in a gilded wooden frame with classic, straight-lined profiles.

Francisco Meneses Osorio (1640 - 1721) was an artist from Seville, a collaborator and disciple of Murillo's workshop, and considered one of his faithful followers. It can be observed in his paintings in the manner of Murillo, he stands out for his own personality, colour palette and drawing. 

Size: 159.5 x 105.5 cm; Size with frame: 169 x 115.5 cm.

Provenance: Private collection in Granada.

Exhibitions: "Juan de Valdés Leal and Sevillian Baroque Art" Cultural Centre of Contemporary Art, A.C. Televisa Cultural Foundation. 6 August - 5 December. 1993. Mexico.