The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception
McArdell's print is based on a painting by Murillo, a Spanish artist known for painting several versions of The Immaculate Conception. We are shown the Virgin Mary in a heavenly setting, standing on a cloud supported by cherubs carrying lilies, roses and palms, a crescent moon beneath her feet. Her hair loose, the figure looks up to the left while folding her hands over her breast. The image conveys the idea that Mary was born free from original sin, a doctrine debated by medieval theologians that did not became an official part of Catholic dogma until 1854.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception
- Engraver: James McArdell (Irish, Dublin 1729–1765 London)
- Artist: After Bartolomé Estebán Murillo (Spanish, Seville 1617–1682 Seville)
- Date: 1746–65
- Medium: Mezzotint
- Dimensions: Plate: 19 3/4 × 14 in. (50.2 × 35.5 cm)
Sheet: 20 1/4 × 14 7/16 in. (51.5 × 36.7 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of Georgiana W. Sargent, in memory of John Osborne Sargent, 1924
- Object Number: 24.63.1792
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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James McArdell
Godfried Schalcken
1740–65
Multiple artists/makers
November 1, 1754
Multiple artists/makers
1761
Multiple artists/makers
1761
James McArdell
George Chalmers
ca. 1756–61
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