On the occasion of the commemoration of the death of Luis Tristán, the Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla has undertaken the restoration of this work, considered one of Tristán’s most important Marian representations, a model that was repeated by the artist on several occasions.
The restoration process has made it possible to recover the original vibrant colouring of the painting, which was largely obscured by the oxidation of the surface varnishes. The cleaning of these old varnishes has once again revealed the golden light that envelops the Immaculate Conception, in which the bright carmine colour of the tunic stands out in particular.
During the scientific study of the painting prior to restoration, using X-rays and pigment analysis, interesting evidence of the presence of praying figures in the lower right part of the composition has come to light.
They are currently covered by an old repainting of a small temple and vegetation that imitates the landscape on the opposite side. It is hoped that a future, more in-depth analysis, will allow us to advance our knowledge of these mysterious hidden figures.
🎨 Luis TRISTAN (1585 – 1624), The Immaculate Conception, 1620. Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla.
The Arts of Golden Age Spain and the Hispanic World 