Spanish school; early 17th century.

Spanish school; early seventeenth century.
"Virgin spinner".
Oil on canvas.
Preserves original canvas.
Measurements: 101 x 118 cm.
The iconography represented in this painting is inspired by the Protoevangelium of Santiago, one of the apocryphal gospels, which tells how, while still a child, the Virgin Mary was commissioned by the priests of the Temple to weave the sacred veil, the same that was torn at the time of the death of Christ, symbolizing the breaking of the old covenant. Likewise, the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew mentions Mary's skill in textile work, especially in wool work, during her youth, highlighting her virtue, humility and application.
In this particular case, the artist takes this apocryphal tradition as a starting point, but reworks it with an intimate and everyday approach, moving away from narrative grandiloquence to offer a scene with a strong emotional charge. The Virgin Mary is presented in a recollected attitude, spinning gently, while she is accompanied by the Child Jesus and Saint John, in a domestic and familiar environment. The interaction between the characters is constructed with tender and natural gestures: St. John, with a lively expression, holds the skein of yarn used by Mary, participating with childlike enthusiasm in the task; while the Child Jesus, leaning on his mother's lap, adopts a relaxed and playful posture that highlights his human condition and his emotional closeness to his mother.
The only element that introduces a supernatural nuance to the scene is the figure of an angel, discreetly located in the background, holding a tray of fruit, the usual symbol of heavenly gifts and spiritual abundance. His presence, although secondary, brings a sacred dimension to the whole without breaking the harmony and intimacy of the main scene.
From the stylistic point of view, the composition is organized horizontally, almost like a frieze, where the characters are arranged with monumentality and serenity. The setting is a simple but cozy interior, which opens onto a natural landscape on the left side of the painting, adding depth and a luminous counterpoint to the enclosed space. The chromatic palette fully responds to the canons of the Spanish Baroque school, dominated by ochers, earths and muted reds, which reinforce the sober, contemplative and devotional character of the scene.