The Vision of St. Anthony of Padua

An early example of Murillo's so-called "vaporous style" that combined golden tonal color with diffused form, it is possible, as some have argued, that he was inspired by Venetian painting, or works by Herrera the Younger. However, neither would explain what compelled Murillo to pair realism (the furniture and floor are typical of local décor) with the subtle sensitivity of gesture and expression in painting this serenely supernatural image. Contemporary critic Fernando de la Torre Farfán wrote that Murillo painted even the saint's desk "with such art that there are those who testify to having seen a bird labouring to sit on it so as to peck at the white lilies there are in a vase". Today, this reads as hyperbole, but the painting won Murillo a further string of religious commissions and is now acknowledged as a masterpiece of his mature period; as art historian Jonathan Brown wrote, it was Murillo's "first essay in the high baroque". 

Murillo pictures St.Anthony  who was a Portuguese Catholic priest and member of the Order of Friars Minor.

Anthony was born and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, and died in Padua, Italy. Noted by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was one of the most quickly canonized saints in church history.

This vast canvas marked a pivotal point in Murillo's career, establishing his name as one of premier religious painters in Seville. Completed in 1656, the painting is still in its original location: the baptismal chapel of Santa María de la Sede, Seville's cathedral. The picture is difficult to view, due to its size, the lack of available light, and the fact that visitors need to peer over the baptismal font from behind a stanchion to see it. Nevertheless, even today - while other versions of this popular subject can appear whimsical or saccharine - Murillo's interpretation of the saint's dream still inspires a sense of frozen awe.

The painting is oil on canvas and is in the  Collection of the Cathedral of Seville