DISCOVERART

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

The Immaculate Conception

c. 1680
oil on canvas
220.5 × 127.5 cm (86.8 × 50.2 in)

SEE IT IN PERSON

● On view now — 212 Baroque Painting and Sculpture

Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · verified July 2026

View at clevelandart.org ↗Plan a visit ↗

Discussion

FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception maintains that the Virgin Mary was conceived free from sin, therefore ready to be the pure vessel for Christ’s birth. The Immaculate Conception enjoyed intense devotion in Spain during the 1600s, although it was only accepted as official doctrine in 1854. The abstract subject required artists to develop appropriate imagery. The crescent moon, for example, comes from the New Testament vision of Saint John the Evangelist (Revelation 12:1) of “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet.”

Source ↗

Be the first to share your thoughts.

Sign in to join the discussion.

Community guidelines

More by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

The CrucifixionThe CrucifixionDon Andrés de Andrade y la CalDon Andrés de Andrade y la CalVirgin and ChildVirgin and ChildLaban Searching for His Stolen Household GodsLaban Searching for His Stolen Household GodsEcce Agnus DeiEcce Agnus DeiA Knight of Alcántara or CalatravaA Knight of Alcántara or CalatravaSaint Anthony of PaduaSaint Anthony of PaduaHead of an Old ManHead of an Old Man

More like this

The Immaculate ConceptionGuido Reni — The Immaculate ConceptionThe AnnunciationLuca Giordano — The AnnunciationThe assumption of the Virgin, who rises with arms outstretched, angels supporting her from below, after ReniGuido Reni|Valentine Green|Rupert Green|Carl Ernst ChristophSaints Presenting a Devout Woman to the Virgin and ChildGiovanni Battista Pittoni (Italian, 1687–1767) — Saints PresSaint James's Vision of the Virgin of the PillarAntonio González Velásquez, I — Saint James's Vision of the Madonna of the RosaryDomenico Maria Canuti (Italian, 1620–1684) — Madonna of the Coronation of the VirginAnonymous, Spanish, 17th century — Coronation of the VirginThe Virgin in Glory, standing on clouds and surrounded by angels holding the symbols of the Immaculate ConceptionCornelis Galle I|Theodoor Galle|Bernardo Castello — The VirgThe Assumption of the VirginDomenico Theotokópoulos, called El Greco — The Assumption ofStudy for "The Assumption of the Virgin" for San Augustín, SevilleJuan de Valdés Leal (Spanish, 1622–1690) — Study for "The AsOur Lady of Good CounselBartolomé Pérez (Spanish, 1634–1693) — Our Lady of Good CounSaint Rosalie Interceding for the Plague-stricken of PalermoAnthony van Dyck — Saint Rosalie Interceding for the Plague-