1176 - PEDRO ATANASIO BOCANEGRA (Granada, 1638–1689). Second half of the 17th century

PEDRO ATANASIO BOCANEGRA (Granada, 1638–1689). Second half of the 17th century "The Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes." Oil on canvas This passage, recounted in the four Gospels (Matthew 14:13–21 and parallels), is no stranger to the Andalusian Baroque. It had previously been depicted by painters such as Herrera the Elder and Murillo for the Hospital de los Venerables in Seville. Many of these artists, along with Flemish painters such as Jacob de Backer and Hendrik de Clerck, share the common feature of depicting Christ standing before a tree, which lends a certain coherence and strength to the composition, while he distributes the miraculous loaves and fishes among the children—a theme also linked to the mendicant orders and the Christian ethic and morality of helping those most in need, especially poor children. The entire scene is observed by the apostles. The figure of Christ in Bocanegra’s painting draws inspiration from Roman sculptures of seated gods and emperors that he may have seen in the Sevillian collections brought from Italica or ancient Hispalis. During his trip to Madrid, he would have been influenced by the city’s colorful Baroque style, based primarily on 17th-century Flemish painting by Rubens, Van Dyck, and Jordaens, as well as on the color palette and treatment of light characteristic of Venetian painting. Despite the yellowing of its varnish, the work must have had very vivid colors, with a color palette dominated by earth tones. Nor should we overlook, during his mature period—to which this work belongs—the closeness of his style to that of his master, Cano, in creating religious images of immense sweetness, beauty, and delicacy. Dimensions: 221 x 170 cm.