The Nativity
c. 1665-1670
Murillo sketches the Holy Family with a loose, fluid hand here, creating a scene that feels more like a private prayer than a grand public statement. Mary kneels with hands clasped while Joseph leans on his staff, both gazing lovingly at the baby Jesus, while a couple of cheeky cherubs float in the clouds above to supervise. This looks like a preparatory study, a 'rough draft' for a larger painting, showing how the Baroque master worked out his compositions with warmth and emotion. You can spot his signature 'Murillo' in the bottom left, claiming this intimate moment as his own.
- Technique
- Pen and brown ink wash
- Material
- Paper
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