St Anthony with Child by Antonio de Pereda y Salgado
St. Anthony with the Child
Antonio de Pereda y Salgado
Oil on canvas, ca. 1640–1650
Antonio de Pereda y Salgado (Valladolid, 1611 – Madrid, 1678) was a Spanish Baroque painter whose work blended the dramatic lighting of Tenebrism with the rich, warm coloration influenced by Venetian art. Known for his remarkable ability to render textures and surfaces with precision, Pereda often depicted religious subjects charged with quiet emotion and refined detail. This composition is signed in the lower right. A smaller version of the work exists in Gothenburg, and another treatment of the same theme, dated 1665, is preserved in the Hispanic Society of America in New York.
In this painting, St. Anthony of Padua tenderly holds the Christ Child in his arms. The saint is shown in his Franciscan habit, his expression serene and deeply contemplative, suggesting a mystical encounter rather than a narrative moment. The Christ Child, luminous and softly modeled, rests with natural ease, emphasizing both the intimacy and spiritual purity of the scene. To the right, an angel seen from behind adds a subtle yet striking element to the composition. The softly curved wings and gentle posture echo the tender emotional tone of the work, while the motif recalls similar angelic figures later found in Murillo’s paintings.
Pereda’s calm, focused illumination draws attention to the faces and hands, enhancing the meditative atmosphere that characterizes much of his religious production. The subdued palette, delicate highlights, and careful rendering of fabric create a vision of quiet devotion, where the viewer is invited into the intimate mystery of divine love revealed through simplicity and tenderness.
This image is a public domain image, which means either that copyright has expired in the image or the copyright holder has waived their copyright. Franciscan Gallery charges for the access to high resolution copy of the image. Manually restoration was necessary in order to improve quality, without covering the original image.
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