Murillo Attribution Dispute
December 15 2020
Picture: artnews.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Artnews.com have reported on a public dispute that is unfolding in Seville, Spain, over the attribution of a painting found in the city's San Vicente Mártir parish Church.
The above Immaculate Conception underwent a large conservation project in 2019 where experts were consulted in regards to who might have painted it. Ignacio Cano, curator of the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville, had claimed that the work was in fact by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and dating from 1640-45. However, Enrique Valdivieso, Professor of art history at the Hispalense University and Murillo expert, has disagreed.
The article goes on to quote Valdivieso:
“It doesn’t seem to me that this Immaculate Conception belongs to Murillo. It lacks the characteristics that are present in youthful works by Murillo.” He also claimed not to have noticed the “inescapable influence” of Murillo’s early teacher, Juan del Castillo, in the work.
Here is a story from July of this year about another contested work by Murillo.
