The Immaculate Conception

Little is known about the life and artistic production of this painter, although he is listed in the early bibliography of Manuel Toussaint’s Colonial Painting in México. Depictions of the Immaculate Conception in México generally show the Virgin full-body. In this case, Padre Manuel executed a sort of portrait of the Virgin, who, posing with an innocent look on Her face, is dressed in white, with a blue mantle. The format of the work suggests that it was intended for an intimate devotional space. The pale shades used in both the foreground and the background, the handling of the sheer folds of the clothing, and the tender treatment of the Virgin's face bear witness to an impeccable technique. The shining look, the soft rays that surround the head, and the sapphire and-pearl brooch treatment that adorns the Virgin's breast are very well executed. The sweetness and serenity of this feminine figure remind one of the Immaculate Conceptions executed by the Spanish painter, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682). This piece hung in the San Diego Viceregal Painting Gallery, and was given to the MUNAL in the year 2000.