Virgin with Fr Lauterius Sts Thomas Aquinas and Francis
The Virgin with Brother Lauterius, Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Thomas Aquinas, by Spanish master Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1638)
The influence of his teacher, Juan del Castillo, is evident in the faces of the figures, while the stillness and gravity of the figures are reminiscent of Zurbaran. The golden tones that form the luminous background are borrowed from Roelas. On the left, a cartouche depicts the iconography of the scene, featuring the Virgin, Saint Francis, Saint Thomas, and Friar Lauterio. When Friar Lauterio was studying theology, he encountered serious difficulties interpreting certain subjects, so he sought help from Saint Francis through prayer.
At that moment, the Virgin Mary, Saint Thomas, and Saint Francis appeared to him, advising him to read Saint Thomas's "Summa Theologica," in which the friar found the solution to his doubts. Friar Lauterio appears on the right side of the composition, in his study, described through the corner table—on which we see the inkwell and some books—and a bookshelf in the background. He holds the recommended book in his left hand and listens attentively to the advice of Saint Francis, from whose mouth emanates a phrase written in capital letters.
The Virgin Mary, seated on a throne of clouds, crowns both saints. The composition has a marked diagonal composed of the heads of the friar, Saint Thomas, and the Virgin Mary, and another formed by the hands of all the figures. The naturalism and tight brushwork are characteristic of these early years.
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