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portrait of a woman in a white dress with a wreath of flowers in her hairan image of a painting of a woman holding a flower in her handsan old painting of a woman with a dove in her handspainting of a woman holding a dove in her handsa picture of a wooden frame with a picture on it
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87 - Andalusian School, 19th Century.

Estimate €700 - €1,500
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Description
Andalusian School, 19th Century. “The Immaculate Virgin Mary as a Young Maiden” Oil on canvas. Accompanied by a carved and gilded wooden cornucopia from the early 20th century. 69 x 59 cm. Dimensions including the cornucopia: 102 x 70 cm. The reverse bears two small patches from old restorations. This charming devotional painting represents the Virgin Mary during her early youth, portrayed in an attitude of prayer and contemplation, almost as a novice preparing to dedicate her life to God. Images of this kind were particularly suited to convent novitiates, where young women embarking upon religious life would often encounter representations of the Virgin as a model of purity, humility and obedience. Such paintings were especially appropriate for the reception rooms of convents, where novices were formally admitted and bid farewell to their families before entering religious life. In this context, the youthful Virgin served as the perfect example of spiritual vocation and dedication. Executed in a thoroughly classical style, the artist displays considerable skill and delicacy of brushwork, recalling the devotional sensibility of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and the wider Andalusian tradition. The composition presents Mary as a young girl, modestly dressed, her hands crossed upon her breast in prayerful meditation and profound recollection. The image conveys an extraordinary sense of peace and purity. The artist successfully captures the humility, innocence and youthful grace traditionally associated with the Virgin, while also suggesting her future vocation and willingness to serve the divine will. The Holy Spirit appears near her heart, almost as an inner inspiration of the soul. The Virgin herself, resembling a novice at the moment of her profession, wears a crown of flowers symbolising her virginity, virtue and spiritual purity. The floral crown may also be understood as an allusion to the final earthly joy preceding her complete consecration to God, anticipating her Fiat — “Be it done unto me” (Luke 1:38) — and her definitive acceptance of the divine plan. Bathed in a warm and softly atmospheric light reminiscent of Murillo, the figure is rendered with sweet, youthful and serene features that invite contemplation and devotion. The artist succeeds in bringing the sacred closer to the viewer, transforming a theological ideal into an image of profound human tenderness. A deeply devotional painting, imbued with serenity, introspection and spiritual grace.
About the sale Dialogues with the Past: Vestigia
Auction location
Auction time 07/02/2026 at 7:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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