Bidspirit auction | Immaculate Conception. Spanish School. 18th

Immaculate Conception. Spanish School. 18th Century - Oil on canvas. The Virgin Mary is depicted full-length, standing on a pedestal of clouds from which cherub heads emerge, following the traditional iconographic model of the Immaculate Conception. She wears a white tunic and a blue mantle that billows diagonally, creating an ascending effect. Her clasped hands, slightly tilted head, and reverent expression reinforce her virginal and devotional character. The neutral background in warm tones contrasts with the luminosity that envelops the figure, which seems to radiate from within. The brushwork is loose but controlled, with special attention paid to the modeling of the angelic faces, the soft flesh tones, and the folds of the mantle. The gilding of the crescent moon beneath her feet, a symbol of purity, and the enveloping arrangement of the mantle recall the late Spanish Baroque. This work is part of the iconographic and aesthetic tradition promoted by the Counter-Reformation, influenced by the Sevillian School and Murillo's Marian painting. The representation combines idealized sweetness, celestial luminosity, and a spiritual charge that invites contemplation and devotion. 94 x 65 cm.