Andalusian School; XVIII century.

Andalusian School; XVIII century.
"Virgin of Carmen with St. Anne and St. Joachim".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Presents faults and restorations.
Measurements: 162 x 107 cm; 175 x 120 cm (frame).
The composition presents the Virgin as the central and dominant figure, elevated on a cloud of cherubs, crowned and dressed with the Carmelite habit, holding the Child Jesus. On either side, on a lower plane but clearly integrated into the scene, are St. Anne and St. Joachim, the Virgin's parents, forming an image of strong symbolism linked to the sacred genealogy and the spiritual legitimization of Mary.
From the stylistic point of view, the work responds to the typical features of the late Andalusian baroque: symmetrical and clearly hierarchical composition, warm and enveloping chromatism, and a marked taste for ornamentation, visible in the rich embroidery of the scapular and in the golden details of the Marian attire. The modeling of the figures is soft, with delicate transitions of light and shadow that attenuate the tenebrist dramatism of the previous century and favor a more serene and devotional interpretation.
The iconography of the Virgin of Mount Carmel is presented here in its most widespread formulation: Mary as Queen of Carmel, mediator and protector, bearer of the scapular, surrounded by angels and cherubs that reinforce her celestial character. The inclusion of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim not only enriches the iconographic discourse, but also underlines the human and family dimension of the Virgin, an aspect especially valued in Andalusian Baroque spirituality. Both saints appear as venerable figures, with reverent attitudes and restrained gestures, acting as visual mediators between the spectator and the celestial vision.
The Andalusian school of the 18th century inherited the naturalistic and devotional tradition of the Golden Age, reinterpreting it with a softer and more decorative language, in accordance with popular religiosity and the rise of the religious orders, among them the Carmelite.