Workshop of BARTOLOME ESTEBAN MURILLO (Seville,... Lot 12

Workshop of BARTOLOME ESTEBAN MURILLO (Seville, 1617 - 1682). "Saint Rose of Lima with the Infant Jesus". Oil on canvas. Relined. The stretcher is missing. Measurements: 66 x 54,5 cm. Devotional scene in which a saint is represented holding the Child Jesus in her arms as a maternity. Specifically, it is Isabel de Flores Oliva (Lima, 1586-1617), better known as Santa Rosa de Lima, was a Peruvian saint, a Dominican mystic canonised in 1671. She is the first saint of America, patron saint of Lima and Peru since 1669, and of the New World and the Philippines since 1670. In 1615, Dutch corsairs decided to attack the city of Lima, and the news soon spread among the population. In response, Rosa gathered the women of Lima in the church to pray for the salvation of Lima. The saint went up to the altar and, cutting off her clothes and rolling up her sleeves, placed her body to defend Christ in the tabernacle. Mysteriously, the captain of the Dutch fleet died on his ship a few days later, which led to the withdrawal of the ships. In Lima, everyone attributed the miracle to Rosa, which is why she is often depicted facing the sea, praying to God for protection against corsairs. The technical characteristics of the piece show similarities with Murrillo's heir works, specifically with the artistic production of the painter Francisco Meneses Osorio, who was born in Seville and is believed to have died there. Very little is known of his life. He was a pupil and imitator of Murillo and it has been suggested that some of the works attributed to the latter were painted by Osorio. We know that Murillo considered him his friend, that he was a close acquaintance of Juan Garzón, with whom he worked. This reputation is said to have been discarded after his death because it was considered that some of his copies of Murillo's works were so accurate that he should have signed the master's name. In fact, it was suggested that two of his copies had been accepted as genuine works by Murillo. On the other hand, these statements are stated by a Spanish author to have been made solely for the purpose of discrediting Osorio. It is said that he and Murillo worked together in the Capuchin church in Cadiz. His main work was painted for the church of San Martín in Madrid, and depicts the prophet Elijah. There are pictures of him in the museums of Cadiz and Seville, the latter related to the Order of St. Francis. A work depicting Saint Catherine, which is preserved in Cadiz, is said to have had a special devotion to Saint Philip Neri and was buried in the church dedicated to that saint.