Attributed to Bernardo López

Attributed to BERNARDO LÓPEZ PIQUER (Valencia, 1799 - Madrid, 1874).
"Virgin with Child and St. John.
Oil on panel.
It has frame c. 1840.
Measurements: 37 x 27.5 cm; 44 x 35 cm (frame).
This work is part of the compositional principles of classical art and stands out for its careful pyramidal structure, which provides stability and harmony to the scene. The Virgin occupies the central axis, holding the Child Jesus, while St. John the Baptist stands to one side, completing the triangular shape that visually orders the composition and guides the viewer's gaze.
The figures present an ideal of serene beauty, with balanced proportions and restrained attitudes that reinforce the classical character of the painting. The soft gestures and delicate gazes convey an atmosphere of recollection and tenderness, underlining the spiritual and affective bond between the characters. The subtle treatment of color and light contributes to model the volumes with softness, avoiding sharp hallmarks and providing a sense of unity and calm to the whole.
Its author, born in Valencia in 1799 and died in Madrid in 1874, was an outstanding Spanish painter, especially in the portrait genre. He initially trained with his father, Vicente López Portaña, and in 1814 he entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, where he consolidated his artistic training. During those years he collaborated in various commissions for the Royal Palace, which allowed him to access important positions throughout his career, as an academician of the Royal Academy, professor of painting to Queen Isabella II and first chamber painter. Although he is known mainly for his portraits, among which those of María Isabel de Braganza, Espartero and Maroto stand out, he also cultivated religious painting, a field in which this work is integrated, along with other compositions such as The Nativity, preserved in the Royal Palace.