Andalusian School; XVIII century.

Andalusian School; XVIII century.
"Self-portrait of Murillo".
Oil on canvas.
Preserves old frame.
Measurements: 56 x 42 cm; 65 x 50,5 cm (frame).
This work reproduces the famous "Self-portrait" of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, being an eloquent testimony of the persistence and veneration of the Sevillian master in the artistic field after his time. This painting, although based directly on the original model, made by Murillo around 1670 and preserved in the National Gallery in London, is distinguished by the absence of the border or oval pictorial frame that characterizes the original composition, which substantially modifies the relationship between the figure and the pictorial space.
The portrait depicts the artist half-length, turned slightly to his left, with a serene face and direct gaze, features that convey the introspection and intellectual dignity of the Baroque painter. He wears a black robe with a white collar, in the manner of portraits of men of letters, emphasizing his status as a cultured creator and conscious of his art. The neutral background, with its warm, earthy tones, helps to highlight the modeling of the face and hands, where the copyist shows particular care in capturing the light and texture of the skin.
From the stylistic point of view, the work maintains the softness of light and the enveloping atmosphere typical of Murillo, although with a more decorative and less psychological interpretation. The brushstroke, somewhat denser and more regular than in the original, shows the academic character of the copy, typical of the Andalusian workshops and academies of the eighteenth century, where the study of Murillo was a formative model of the first order.