Alonso De Quintanilla, Immaculate Conception, Late 18th Century, Oil on Canvas

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“immaculate conception” by alonso de quintanilla, cuéllar school, baroque, late 18th century – cuéllar, spain

technique: oil on canvas
title … Read more “immaculate conception” by alonso de quintanilla, cuéllar school, baroque, late 18th century – cuéllar, spain

technique: oil on canvas
title of the work: “the immaculate conception”
artist: alonso de quintanilla, cuéllar school
signed in the lower right corner
style: baroque
genre: religious
period: late 18th century, circa 1780s
country of origin: cuéllar, spain
provenance: private collection
good condition considering its age and use
overall dimensions: 53.5 x 48 x 1 cm
dimensions without frame: 45 x 40 cm

impressive oil on dark canvas by the painter alonso de quintanilla, successor to nicolás de quintanilla, around the 1780s (late 18th century). This version was created by the cuéllar school, closely following madrid models, such as the immaculate conception by antonio palomino y velasco, currently housed in the prado museum.

this work was commissioned by dr. Domingo cuesta muriel, parish priest of san miguel in the town of cuéllar and rector of the royal seminary of san frutos and san ildefonso, for the most illustrious alonso marcos de llanes y argüelles, bishop of segovia, as a token of gratitude for favors received. The recipient of the work can be seen on the left margin of the canvas, while on the right there is an invitation to pray a hail mary (or salve regina), and at the bottom appears the unmistakable signature of quintanilla f (fecit/he made it). The piece exhibits classic features of the immaculate conception theme, as seen in the use of the voluminous, flowing robes adorning mary, and the presence of several groups of angels both on either side of her head and fluttering at her feet, creating a scene of great dynamism and visual balance.

chromatically, white and blue predominate, but warm tones can also be seen in the blushes of the cherubs and the fabrics covering them. It is a highly detailed work, with drawing taking precedence over color, resulting in very expressive faces that contrast with the nobility of mary's countenance. Other details that can be appreciated include the central brooch adorning the virgin's chest, the chiaroscuro of the clouds, and the flowers held by the cherubs at mary's feet.

alonso de quintanilla, the author of this work, maintained his artistic process between 1760 and 1785, so we can affirm that this is one of his last pieces, although he mainly worked as a portraitist of bishops, so much so that in the city of valladolid itself there are several portraits by him. In the parish church of santiago de cigales, a canvas dated 1772 depicting friar antonio alcalde, bishop of yucatán, is preserved. In the national museum of polychrome sculpture (also in valladolid), a portrait of the same bishop, dated 1761, is displayed alongside a portrait of father ángel de molinos, bishop of zamora, dated around 1776.

alonso hails from cuéllar and is considered one of the most outstanding painters. Among the many other artists, his predecessor, nicolás de quintanilla, also stands out. Quintanilla's career spanned from 1717 to 1735, and he even collaborated with artists such as francisco cámara in 1733 on the altarpiece frames for the church of san sebastián in villacastín.

the so-called cuéllar school (or cuellarana school) of sculpture and painting was an important artistic center located in the town of cuéllar, segovia, which flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries. It focused on religious art such as altarpieces, sculptures, and paintings, training both local and foreign artists in a high-quality, distinctive baroque style that blended foreign and castilian influences.

martín gil, f. J., martín gil, j., & martín ramos, c. (2014). A painting of the immaculate conception, an unpublished work by the cuéllar painter alonso de quintanilla: a brief monograph from licopcyl (research laboratory on the conservation of the heritage of castile and león).

the frame protecting the artwork is offered as a gift, but it has intrinsic value. It is provided at no additional cost so that your artwork can be displayed immediately upon arrival at your home or destination. Any damage to the frame itself that does not affect the integrity of the artwork cannot be accepted as valid grounds for filing a claim or requesting a cancellation. This piece has an attribution mark,
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