The paintings of Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1618-1682), which depict women and children of the artist's world, as well as elegantly-handled religious subjects, constitute an extensive and appealing record of the everyday life of his times. Taking the Dulwich Picture Gallery's excellent collection of masterpieces as a starting point, this book demonstrates Murillo's far-reaching popularity and the influence he had on artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, whose 'fancy pictures' show a clear affinity with Murillo's paintings of children. It sumptuously illustrates the main artworks, while reproductions of other Murillo paintings put the master's enduring art into a historical and social context. The book also provides important new scholarship on attribution and technique, with x-ray images revealing fresh and unexpected insights into the genesis and evolution of Murillo's compositions. One piece has never before been shown in print and several of the other key works have been newly conserved - bringing them back to life in their full splendour.
