| Artist | |
|---|---|
| Culture | Spanish |
| Date | second half of the 17th century |
| Object type | painting |
| Medium, technique | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 96.5 × 136.5 cm |
| Inventory number | 782 |
| Collection | Old Master Paintings |
| On view | Museum of Fine Arts, First Floor, European Art 1600–1700 and British Painting 1600–1800, Cabinet 7 |
The noble-born Villavicencio was an extraordinary figure in Spanish baroque art. The military was in his blood; his father served as an admiral in the Spanish Armada, and in 1661 he was made a Knight of the Order of Saint John. At the end of his life he also performed duties as a high-ranking diplomat. For him, painting was a pastime, not a means of earning a living. Nevertheless, in 1660, together with Murillo, he was a founding member of the first Academy of Painting in Seville. Although Villavicencio also produced a few paintings on religious themes, the majority of his output consists of genre pieces. In these works, depicting people carrying out a variety of different tasks, he also devoted great attention to the painting of thestill-life details.
This record is subject to revision due to ongoing research.
