school of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

School of BARTOLOMÉ ESTEBAN MURILLO (Seville, 1617 - 1682)
"Saint Augustine".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It has frame c. 1830.
Measurements: 30 x 23 cm; 38 x 31 cm (frame).
Devotional portrait of strong spiritual and plastic intensity. The holy bishop appears of half body, slightly turned towards the spectator, with the penetrating and loaded look of gravity, in a gesture that combines intellectual reflection and moral authority.
The artist represents him with the attributes of his episcopal condition: he wears a pluvial cape with golden borders, adorned with an oval brooch of intense red, and carries the mitre, symbol of his hierarchical dignity. His right hand rests firmly on a volume, alluding both to his role as Father of the Church and to his status as a writer and fundamental theologian of the Christian tradition. The abundant beard, together with the expression of the eyes, accentuate the meditative and at the same time energetic character of his personality.
The composition is articulated on a dark background, typical of the Sevillian baroque language, which intensifies the chiaroscuro and gives absolute prominence to the figure. The light falls directly on the face and clothing, modeling the volumes with a restrained realism and a delicate treatment of the flesh tones, close to Murillo's style, where the softness of the light transitions coexists with a very marked expressive accent.
On the narrative level, the work transcends the physical portrait to become a vehicle for contemplation: St. Augustine is presented as a doctor of the Church and spiritual guide, in a format that invites the viewer to meditate on faith and knowledge. The piece reflects, therefore, both the devotional imprint of the Sevillian Baroque and the Murillo sensibility towards the representation of the sacred through the humanity and closeness of the saints.