Immaculate Conception (Zurbarán)

Painting by Francisco de Zurbarán

Immaculate Conception

Artist	Zurbarán
Year	1632
Location	Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

The Immaculate Conception is a painting by Francisco de Zurbarán, executed in 1632, conserved at the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

Description

The Immaculate Conception represents Mary as the only mortal being free of original sin. This is a long-established Catholic doctrinal argument, frequently depicted in the painting of the Spanish Golden Age. Mary appears standing on five cherubim occupying a half moon. She is wearing a necklace with the anagram A(ve) M(aria), while a host of stars and angels emerge from the clouds in the halo around her head. On either side are angels with lilies, roses (attributes of purity) and tablets with inscriptions from the 'Song of Songs'. At the sides are two collegiates and symbols alluding to Mary: the Unblemished Mirror, Jacob's Ladder, Gates of Heaven and Morning Star. Zurbarán painted several versions of this theme, but this one is unquestionably the best.

References

Guide of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. MNAC, 2004. ISBN 84-8043-136-9
The artwork at MNAC's Website
"Immaculate Conception" (PDF). www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 12 December 2014.

External links

The artwork at Museum's website
Zurbarán, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF)

v t e Francisco de Zurbarán
Paintings	Christ on the Cross (1627) Saint Serapion (1628) Displaying the Body of Saint Bonaventure (1629) The Vision of Saint Peter Nolasco (1629) Saint Peter Nolasco's Vision of Saint Peter the Apostle (1629) The House in Nazareth (1630) The Vision of Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez (1630) The Apotheosis of Saint Thomas Aquinas (1631) Saint Margaret of Antioch (1631) Immaculate Conception (1632) Saint Agatha (1633) Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose (1633) The Young Virgin (1633) The Archangel Gabriel (1634) Hercules and the Hydra (1634) Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion (1634) Hercules Separates Mounts Calpe and Abylla (1634) The Death of Hercules (1634) The Defence of Cádiz Against the English (1634) Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (c. 1635) Agnus Dei (1635–1640) St Andrew (1635–1640) Saint Apollonia (1636) Saint Lawrence (1636–1639) Annunciation (1638-1639) Still Life with Pots (1650) Saint Luke Painting the Crucifixion (c. 1650) St Hugh in the Carthusian Refectory (1655) St Francis (1659) St. Francis in Ecstasy (1658–1660) The Virgin Mary as a Child Praying (1658–1660)
Painting series	Jacob and his twelve sons (1641–1658)
Related	Juan de Zurbarán (son) Caravaggisti Spanish Baroque painting

v t e Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Romanesque works	Altar frontal from La Seu d'Urgell or of The Apostles Southern apse from Pedret Apse of Santa Maria Àneu Apse of Sant Climent de Taüll Erill la Vall Descent from the Cross Batlló Majesty Altar frontal from Avià Paintings from Arlanza The Christ from 1147 Virgin from Ger
Gothic works	Mural paintings of the conquest of Majorca Head of Christ Virgin of the Angels Altarpiece of Saint Barbara Nativity and Saint John the Evangelist Altarpiece of the Saints John Virgin of the Consellers Saint Augustine Altarpiece Resurrection of Christ
Renaissance and Baroque works	Saint Candidus Jean-Claude Richard, abbé of Saint-Non Mural Paintings from the Herrera Chapel Saint Peter and Saint Paul Madonna of Humility Immaculate Conception Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew Saint Paul Saint Agnes
Modern works	The Odalisque The Spanish Wedding Desolation Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem Confidant from the Batlló House Terraced Village Paloma Cala Forn Portrait of My Father Woman in Hat and Fur Collar Raised left hand Still life II The Corpus Christi Procession Leaving the Church of Santa Maria del Mar A Romance
See also	List of artists from the MNAC collection Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

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