attributed to Roque López

Attributed to ROQUE LÓPEZ DUARTE MÁYQUEZ (Murcia, 1747 -1811) ; XVIII century.
"Immaculate Conception".
Carved wood, polychrome and stewed. Vitreous paste eyes.
Preserves silver crown.
Measurements: 80 x 30 x 26 cm.
The figure of the Virgin as the Immaculate Conception stands on a carved wooden base with moldings in the upper area and on it a large orb decorated with some symbols of the zodiac, a cherub and the presence of the serpent symbol of sin. Mary is presented standing dressed in a white tunic with vegetal and floral decorations and a blue mantle with golden border and print. The young Virgin joins her hands in front of her chest as usual, and raises her gaze in an attitude of clemency, with open eyes that bring a great naturalism to the face. Her fine, idealized features bring a calmness to the figure, also usual in the Immaculadas.
The belonging of the present work to the baroque school of Granada is clear by the features, posture, etc., just as it is possible to appreciate the influence of Pedro de Mena, since the position of the hands is reminiscent of that of the Immaculate of the City Hall of Lorca.
Aesthetically the piece is close to the works of Roque Lopez who began his training at the age of 17, when he moved to Murcia to be apprenticed to the Italian-born Baroque sculptor Francisco Salzillo, whose main disciple he became. Only five months after working with him, Salzillo so admired the work of his pupil that in his will he named him as heir to his own working tools. With Salzillo, Lopez learned from 1764 to 1783 the keys to Baroque sculpture and biblical knowledge; in 1772 he was considered a "master". To Salzillo's style, Lopez added a more realistic style and, as a consequence, a greater expressiveness in his works. His technique of the "bulto redondo" stands out. He is considered one of the last Rococo sculptors before Neoclassicism. According to his notebook, found in his studio when López died, throughout his career he made 466 sculptures, almost all of them religious, receiving commissions from numerous cities, towns and villages in southeastern Spain, mainly in Murcia, Albacete, Ciudad Real, Toledo and Madrid. His sculptures decorated churches, convents and private residences.