Spanish school of the late seventeenth century.

Spanish school of the late seventeenth century.
"Apparition of the Virgin and Child to St. Anthony of Padua".
Oil on canvas.
Restored.
Presents lack of paint.
Measurements: 72 x 159 cm; 83 x 173 cm (frame).

The theme of the breaks of glory, emblematic of the baroque period, is put here to the service of the description of the biblical passage of the apparition of the Virgin and the Child Jesus to San Antonio de Padua. The saint's face, dressed in his characteristic brown habit, is illuminated by the golden light that carries the miracle. He brings his left hand close to the child's little hand as if to verify the reality of what his eyes see. Angels of different ranks (seraphim, cherubim and archangels) accompany them, carrying garlands of roses, lilies and the Scriptures. The small cherubic bodies are modeled by a soft light that contours the foreshortenings and graceful levitations.

St. Anthony of Padua is, after St. Francis of Assisi, the most popular of the Franciscan saints. He was born in Lisbon in 1195 and only spent the last two years of his life in Padua. After studying at the convent of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, in 1220 he entered the Order of Friars Minor, where he changed his first name, Fernando, to Antonio. After teaching theology in Bologna, he traveled through southern and central France, preaching in Arles, Montpellier, Puy, Limoges and Bourges. In 1227 he participated in the general chapter of Assisi. In 1230 he was in charge of the transfer of the remains of St. Francis. He preached in Padua and died there at the age of 36 in 1231. He was canonized only a year after his death, in 1232. Until the end of the 15th century, the cult of St. Anthony remained located in Padua. St. Anthony is often depicted with the Infant Jesus, alluding to an apparition he had in his cell. It became the most popular attribute of this saint from the 16th century onwards, being especially popular in the Baroque art of the Counter-Reformation.