Murillo: The Self-Portraits

This exhibition conmemorates the IV Centenary of the birth of Baroque painter of the Spanish Golden Age, Esteban Murillo, born in Seville in 1617.

New York’s Frick Collection and London’s National Gallery are co-organizing a 2017-18 show that marks the 400th anniversary of this great artist’s birth. Murillo: The Self-Portraits opens at the Frick Collection, before moving on to the London institution for a showing from February 28 through May 21, 2018.

His many religious paintings made him well known, although he also painted many pieces depicting women and children and a less familiar number of portraits of his patrons and friends.

Today, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo is best known as the painter of sweetness and light. His rosy-cheeked Virgins and smiley street urchins have often caused the painter to be labeled as sentimental and weak especially compared to his contemporaries, Zurbarán and Velázquez.

To provide context to Murillo’s canvases, the exhibition at the Frick Collection also features a group of 15 other works on loan from international private and public collections. These include paintings of other sitters by Murillo, as well as later reproductions of the two paintings that reflect their fame in Europe. A catalogue published by the Frick in association with Yale University Press investigates the history of the two paintings and their prestigious provenances in France and England.

The Frick Collection organizes a series of 15-minute talks (free with museum admission, no reservations required) to present Murillo’s lesser-known works, focusing on the two self-portraits, presented by the curatorial and education staff. On November 15 at 3 pm (in Spanish) and 4 pm (in English); on December 13 at 3 pm (in Spanish) at 4 pm (in English); and January 17 at 4 pm (in English).