{"product_id":"saint-thomas-of-villanova-giving-alms-bartolome-esteban-murillo","title":"Saint Thomas of Villanova Giving Alms - Bartolomé Esteban Murillo","description":"\u003cp\u003eA classic Baroque religious painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, depicting Saint Thomas of Villanova performing an act of charity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBartolomé Esteban Murillo painted this work for the Capuchin monastery in Seville. It depicts Saint Thomas of Villanova, the sixteenth-century Archbishop of Valencia, distributing charity to the impoverished. The composition centres on the saint, who stands in his black Augustinian habit, extending a coin to a kneeling beggar. The scene is populated by various figures representing the destitute, including a mother with her child and an elderly man, all rendered with the characteristic naturalism that defined Murillo's later career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lighting follows the tenebrist tradition, with deep shadows contrasting against the illuminated figures. This technique directs the viewer's attention to the act of charity itself. Murillo avoids idealised beauty in his depiction of the poor, choosing instead to show the physical reality of their condition. The architectural setting, suggested by columns and a heavy curtain, provides a formal backdrop that balances the emotional weight of the foreground figures. The palette is restrained, relying on earth tones, ochres, and the stark black of the saint's robes to create a sense of solemnity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis painting is a primary example of the religious art produced in Seville during the seventeenth century, where the Church acted as a major patron. Murillo was known for his ability to combine spiritual themes with a human perspective, making the narrative accessible to the viewer. The work remains a study in the application of light and shadow to convey moral themes, reflecting the artist's technical mastery and his approach to narrative composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/portrait-of-charles-i-of-england-anthony-van-dyck\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePortrait of Charles I of England - Anthony van Dyck — Anthony van Dyck\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/pastoral-landscape-with-the-ponte-molle-claude-lorrain\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePastoral Landscape with the Ponte Molle - Claude Lorrain — Claude Lorrain\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bartolomé Esteban Murillo","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58345780969807,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58345784475983,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58345784508751,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58345784541519,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58345784574287,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58345784607055,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58345784639823,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58345784672591,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58345784705359,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58345784738127,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58345784770895,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58345784803663,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Saint-Thomas-of-Villanova-Giving-Alms_Poster_CompositorV1_1785392673919.jpg?v=1785397428","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/saint-thomas-of-villanova-giving-alms-bartolome-esteban-murillo","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}