| One of the most important Spanish Painters of | | | | that were coming through the town, either to be |
| the Baroque era, was Bartolome Esteban Murillo. | | | | displayed places, or being shipped to other |
| Baroque art, is art that was popular in the Catholic | | | | locations. |
| world from the 16th to 18th centuries. It | | | | Murillo was able to see these works of art, and |
| dominant in Europe, and was encouraged by the | | | | study them, and copy their techniques and styles. |
| Catholic Church, to help counteract the protestant | | | | Bartolome Murillo took advantage of this situation, |
| reformation, which had overtones of | | | | and studied many of the works that traveled |
| iconoclastism. Baroque art included architecture, | | | | through his town. This explains why we can see |
| painting, sculpture, literature and philosophy - all | | | | influences from many regions in the art of Murillo. |
| sorts of subjects. | | | | Murillo worked especially in the realist style, and |
| Murillo was a painter of the Baroque era, and a | | | | painted especially for the aristocracy, and the |
| phenom at that. His works are very popular. | | | | Catholic Church. In the year 1642, Murillo moved |
| Murillo's paintings of religious themes are his most | | | | to the city of Madrid, Spain, where he became |
| popular, but he also did many paintings of people | | | | familiar with the great masters of art of that city. |
| who were living in his time. | | | | Then, later in the year 1645, he returned to |
| Seville was the town of his birth, and out of | | | | Seville, and painted more than 10 canvases from |
| fourteen children, Bartolome was the youngest. | | | | the Monastery of St. Francisco el Grande. |
| Bartolome Murillo's father was a surgeon, who also | | | | This raised his reputation amongst the people, as |
| functioned as the barber. The fathers name was | | | | this was a high profile job. He then painted the |
| Gaspar Esteban, and the mothers name was | | | | "Immaculate Conception," for the Seville Cathedral, |
| Maria Murillo. When Bartolome Murillo was very | | | | which brought him much success. Same with his |
| young, his parents both died, and Bartolome was | | | | painting of the Virgin and Child, also in the same |
| raised by his aunt and uncle. | | | | Cathedral. |
| Bartolome then married Miss Beatrix Cabrera, | | | | He founded the Academy of Beautiful Art in |
| around the 1645. Bartolome used his wife, and his | | | | 1660, and had many commissioned pieces of art |
| first daughter Maria, as models for his first two | | | | between then and his death in the year 1982. He |
| paintings. Bartoleme Murrillo studied under Mr. Juan | | | | died in Seville, Spain. Murillo had many students. He |
| del Castillo, of Seville, Spain. Because the town of | | | | was famous throughout all of Europe, and he is |
| Seville was such a grand commercial location, and | | | | one of the widest and best known Spanish artists |
| had such great importance in the Spanish | | | | of all time. |
| economy, Murillo was exposed to many artworks | | | | |