About this artwork
This is one of four large canvases devoted to the life of Saint John the Baptist that Bartolomé Esteban Murillo painted for the convent of San Leandro in his native Seville, Spain. Inscriptions from the gospels of John and Luke float in the sky, accompanied by the eagle and winged bull that, respectively, symbolize these evangelists. John the Baptist’s gesture toward Jesus alludes to the Baptist’s role in preparing the way for Christ. When he painted this series, Murillo was transitioning away from the hard edges and dramatic shading inspired by Francisco de Zurbarán toward softer, more vaporous effects.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 211
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Department
- Painting and Sculpture of Europe
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Artist
- Bartolomé Estéban Murillo
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Title
- Ecce Agnus Dei
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Place
- Spain (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- 1650–1660
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Medium
- Oil on canvas
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Dimensions
- 270.2 × 184.5 cm (106 3/8 × 72 5/8 in.); Framed: 317 × 232 cm (124 13/16 × 91 3/8 in.)
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Credit Line
- Louise B. and Frank H. Woods Purchase Fund
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Reference Number
- 1960.2
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/11392/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
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