Juan Ruiz Soriano Sold at Auction Prices

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The death of San Francisco", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents overpaint and restorations. Presents inscription with date.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The Death of Saint Francis", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. It has repainting and restorations. Presents inscription with date. Measurements. 139 x 275 cm. The semicircular format of this work indicates that it is a painting intended as a decorative element, perhaps with the intention of ornamenting the upper areas of an opening, or another architectural space. Of a devotional nature, the artist has depicted the death of Saint Francis, who is lying in the centre of the composition with his eyes closed and his hands with the stigmata on his chest. Saint Francis, the protagonist of the scene, is surrounded by numerous religious of his order who are watching over his corpse, all of whom adopt a different attitude and have different physical features, which shows the artist's mastery. The central image, of a sober and austere character, is relieved by the artist through three elements: the glory break located in the upper area, the family on the left, perhaps representing some donors, whose clothes stand out against the rigorous black of the friars, and finally the presence of a small space on the right, where the official burial of Saint Francis can be seen, already in his coffin. Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, now Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), and began painting in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals. The present canvas shows the direct influences of both Ruiz Soriano and Tovar, so it could be deduced that the artist is a painter from the circle of the former and a follower of the latter. Both masters derived their models from Murillo, as was common among 18th-century Sevillian painters, and this influence is also evident in this canvas, both in the sketchy treatment, with its elaborate classical tones, and in the figures themselves, which are painted with a marked sense of expressive affability and serenity. Within Alonso Miguel de Tovar's production we frequently find the same theme as the present painting, depicted in a very similar compositional model. In the "Divinas Pastoras" in the parish church of Cortelazor, the one in Higuera de la Sierra and the one in the Museo del Prado, all typical of Tovar's style, Mary appears seated on a rock against a landscape background enclosed on the left, dressed in a pink tunic, blue cloak and sheepskin sackcloth, holding a rose in her left hand and caressing a sheep's head with her right. In all of them, moreover, the animals approaching the figure hold roses in their mouths as an offering to Mary. The rest of the elements of the composition are identical to those in Tovar's, including the secondary scene in the background, in which an archangel is depicted fighting a demon who intends to attack a lamb holding a phylactery with the text "Ave Maria" in its mouth. Thus, the only iconographic differences with respect to Tovar's work are the Virgin's crown and the archangel, who in the work by the master from Higueras de la Sierra carries a flaming sword, while here he appears unarmed. Another differentiating element, although secondary in terms of iconography, is that in this work an angel appears holding Mary's staff, while in Tovar's works the staff appears leaning against the rock.

Divina Pastora

Juan Ruíz Soriano fue uno de los pintores más prolíficos en la Sevilla de la primera mitad del S. XVIII, continuador del estilo de Murillo. Para su Divina Pastora, el pintor sigue el modelo creado por Alonso Miguel de Tovar a partir de los escritos de Fray Isidoro de Sevilla: “Píntase pues este prodigio de la gracia, esta Imagen milagrosa, con la mayor hermosura, que el pincel le puede dar, en un monte, o valle, entre árboles, y plantas, sitio propio de los Pastores, sentada en una peña, rodeada toda de Ovejitas, que a cada una tiene en la boca una Rosa hermosísima (...)”. Presenta importante marco en madera tallada y dorada.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva (1701) / Seville (1763) "The Divine Shepherdess"

Oil on canvas Measurements: 45.5 x 37 cm

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The death of San Francisco", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents overpaint and restorations. Presents inscription with date.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The Death of Saint Francis", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. It has repainting and restorations. Presents inscription with date. Measurements. 139 x 275 cm. The semicircular format of this work indicates that it is a painting intended as a decorative element, perhaps with the intention of ornamenting the upper areas of an opening, or another architectural space. Of a devotional nature, the artist has depicted the death of Saint Francis, who is lying in the centre of the composition with his eyes closed and his hands with the stigmata on his chest. Saint Francis, the protagonist of the scene, is surrounded by numerous religious of his order who are watching over his corpse, all of whom adopt a different attitude and have different physical features, which shows the artist's mastery. The central image, of a sober and austere character, is relieved by the artist through three elements: the glory break located in the upper area, the family on the left, perhaps representing some donors, whose clothes stand out against the rigorous black of the friars, and finally the presence of a small space on the right, where the official burial of Saint Francis can be seen, already in his coffin. Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, now Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), and began painting in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals. The present canvas shows the direct influences of both Ruiz Soriano and Tovar, so it could be deduced that the artist is a painter from the circle of the former and a follower of the latter. Both masters derived their models from Murillo, as was common among 18th-century Sevillian painters, and this influence is also evident in this canvas, both in the sketchy treatment, with its elaborate classical tones, and in the figures themselves, which are painted with a marked sense of expressive affability and serenity. Within Alonso Miguel de Tovar's production we frequently find the same theme as the present painting, depicted in a very similar compositional model. In the "Divinas Pastoras" in the parish church of Cortelazor, the one in Higuera de la Sierra and the one in the Museo del Prado, all typical of Tovar's style, Mary appears seated on a rock against a landscape background enclosed on the left, dressed in a pink tunic, blue cloak and sheepskin sackcloth, holding a rose in her left hand and caressing a sheep's head with her right. In all of them, moreover, the animals approaching the figure hold roses in their mouths as an offering to Mary. The rest of the elements of the composition are identical to those in Tovar's, including the secondary scene in the background, in which an archangel is depicted fighting a demon who intends to attack a lamb holding a phylactery with the text "Ave Maria" in its mouth. Thus, the only iconographic differences with respect to Tovar's work are the Virgin's crown and the archangel, who in the work by the master from Higueras de la Sierra carries a flaming sword, while here he appears unarmed. Another differentiating element, although secondary in terms of iconography, is that in this work an angel appears holding Mary's staff, while in Tovar's works the staff appears leaning against the rock.

Divina Pastora

Juan Ruíz Soriano fue uno de los pintores más prolíficos en la Sevilla de la primera mitad del S. XVIII, continuador del estilo de Murillo. Para su Divina Pastora, el pintor sigue el modelo creado por Alonso Miguel de Tovar a partir de los escritos de Fray Isidoro de Sevilla: “Píntase pues este prodigio de la gracia, esta Imagen milagrosa, con la mayor hermosura, que el pincel le puede dar, en un monte, o valle, entre árboles, y plantas, sitio propio de los Pastores, sentada en una peña, rodeada toda de Ovejitas, que a cada una tiene en la boca una Rosa hermosísima (...)”. Presenta importante marco en madera tallada y dorada.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The death of San Francisco", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents overpaint and restorations. Presents inscription with date.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The Death of Saint Francis", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. It has repainting and restorations. Presents inscription with date. Measurements. 139 x 275 cm. The semicircular format of this work indicates that it is a painting intended as a decorative element, perhaps with the intention of ornamenting the upper areas of an opening, or another architectural space. Of a devotional nature, the artist has depicted the death of Saint Francis, who is lying in the centre of the composition with his eyes closed and his hands with the stigmata on his chest. Saint Francis, the protagonist of the scene, is surrounded by numerous religious of his order who are watching over his corpse, all of whom adopt a different attitude and have different physical features, which shows the artist's mastery. The central image, of a sober and austere character, is relieved by the artist through three elements: the glory break located in the upper area, the family on the left, perhaps representing some donors, whose clothes stand out against the rigorous black of the friars, and finally the presence of a small space on the right, where the official burial of Saint Francis can be seen, already in his coffin. Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, now Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), and began painting in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals. The present canvas shows the direct influences of both Ruiz Soriano and Tovar, so it could be deduced that the artist is a painter from the circle of the former and a follower of the latter. Both masters derived their models from Murillo, as was common among 18th-century Sevillian painters, and this influence is also evident in this canvas, both in the sketchy treatment, with its elaborate classical tones, and in the figures themselves, which are painted with a marked sense of expressive affability and serenity. Within Alonso Miguel de Tovar's production we frequently find the same theme as the present painting, depicted in a very similar compositional model. In the "Divinas Pastoras" in the parish church of Cortelazor, the one in Higuera de la Sierra and the one in the Museo del Prado, all typical of Tovar's style, Mary appears seated on a rock against a landscape background enclosed on the left, dressed in a pink tunic, blue cloak and sheepskin sackcloth, holding a rose in her left hand and caressing a sheep's head with her right. In all of them, moreover, the animals approaching the figure hold roses in their mouths as an offering to Mary. The rest of the elements of the composition are identical to those in Tovar's, including the secondary scene in the background, in which an archangel is depicted fighting a demon who intends to attack a lamb holding a phylactery with the text "Ave Maria" in its mouth. Thus, the only iconographic differences with respect to Tovar's work are the Virgin's crown and the archangel, who in the work by the master from Higueras de la Sierra carries a flaming sword, while here he appears unarmed. Another differentiating element, although secondary in terms of iconography, is that in this work an angel appears holding Mary's staff, while in Tovar's works the staff appears leaning against the rock.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 – Seville, 1763). "San Juanito". Oil on canvas. Relined. Attached certificate of Mr. Enrique Valdivieso, Emeritus Professor of Art History at the University of Seville.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "San Juanito". Oil on canvas. Relined. Enclosed a certificate from Don Enrique Valdivieso, Emeritus Professor of Art History at the University of Seville. Presents restorations. Measurements: 107 x 81 cm; 120 x 95 cm (frame). In the words of Enrique Valdivieso "stylistic characteristics show that it belongs to the Sevillian school of the first half of the 18th century and that it is linked to the creative world of Murillo's disciples and followers. Indeed, in terms of drawing technique, composition and colouring, it can be seen that this work belongs to one of the most outstanding artists of that period who maintained Murillo's style, Juan Ruiz Soriano. This painter was born in Higuera de la Sierra in 1701 and died in Seville in 1763. He acquired the creative spirit that identifies him with Murillo's style of painting during his training period in Seville, where he was an apprentice in the workshop of his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar, who was in turn one of the most outstanding Murillo artists, and therefore one of the artists who for many years maintained the imprint of the great Sevillian master, which he had assimilated perfectly and kept intact throughout his life. There is therefore a clear Murillo influence in Ruiz Soriano's works painted over the course of forty years, which was very productive for him, as his clientele continued to demand paintings whose artistic expressiveness was very close to the pictorial canons created by Murillo. Certainly, in this work depicting the Infant Saint John the Baptist, Ruiz Soriano was inspired by works on the same theme by Murillo, such as the one in the Museo del Prado and others in the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. It should be pointed out, however, that Ruiz Soriano never copied Murillo's works exactly but adapted his style to the delicate, gentle taste that had been imposed in Seville by the French painters who were in the city when Philip V established his court there between 1737 and 1732. In the present painting, the figure of Saint John Child is seated in the middle of a landscape, dressed in a sheepskin cloak and wearing a red cloak that billows around his waist. He stares at the viewer, conveying an expression of firmness and moral energy that conveys his future mission of preaching in the desert to announce the arrival of his cousin Jesus, which is alluded to in the figure of the lamb that accompanies him. He also resolutely displays the reed rod topped with a cross on which the inscription "Ecce Agnus Dei" appears, reinforcing the message that the lamb is the symbol of the Messiah who would not be long in coming. The background of the painting is occupied by a beautiful landscape in undulating relief, which gives way to a blue sky which, on the left, is tinged with golden heavenly radiance, indicating that God from on high was pointing to Saint John the Baptist as "the forerunner", i.e. the one who announces the soon coming of the Redeemer". Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, now Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), beginning his pictorial activity in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals. The present canvas shows the direct influences of both Ruiz Soriano and Tovar, and it may therefore be deduced that the artist is a member of Ruiz Soriano's circle.

Juan Ruiz Soriano. St Francis Scene

Oil on canvas. A report by Mr. Enrique Valdivieso is attached, which considers the present work among the highest quality of the artist.

San Juan Bautista Niño

Se adjunta certificado realizado por D. Enrique Valdivieso González, catedrático de Historia del Arte de la Universidad de Sevilla.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The death of San Francisco", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents overpaint and restorations. Presents inscription with date.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The Death of Saint Francis", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. It has repainting and restorations. Presents inscription with date. Measurements. 139 x 275 cm. The semicircular format of this work indicates that it is a painting intended as a decorative element, perhaps with the intention of ornamenting the upper areas of an opening, or another architectural space. Of a devotional nature, the artist has depicted the death of Saint Francis, who is lying in the centre of the composition with his eyes closed and his hands with the stigmata on his chest. Saint Francis, the protagonist of the scene, is surrounded by numerous religious of his order who are watching over his corpse, all of whom adopt a different attitude and have different physical features, which shows the artist's mastery. The central image, of a sober and austere character, is relieved by the artist through three elements: the glory break located in the upper area, the family on the left, perhaps representing some donors, whose clothes stand out against the rigorous black of the friars, and finally the presence of a small space on the right, where the official burial of Saint Francis can be seen, already in his coffin. Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, now Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), and began painting in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals. The present canvas shows the direct influences of both Ruiz Soriano and Tovar, so it could be deduced that the artist is a painter from the circle of the former and a follower of the latter. Both masters derived their models from Murillo, as was common among 18th-century Sevillian painters, and this influence is also evident in this canvas, both in the sketchy treatment, with its elaborate classical tones, and in the figures themselves, which are painted with a marked sense of expressive affability and serenity. Within Alonso Miguel de Tovar's production we frequently find the same theme as the present painting, depicted in a very similar compositional model. In the "Divinas Pastoras" in the parish church of Cortelazor, the one in Higuera de la Sierra and the one in the Museo del Prado, all typical of Tovar's style, Mary appears seated on a rock against a landscape background enclosed on the left, dressed in a pink tunic, blue cloak and sheepskin sackcloth, holding a rose in her left hand and caressing a sheep's head with her right. In all of them, moreover, the animals approaching the figure hold roses in their mouths as an offering to Mary. The rest of the elements of the composition are identical to those in Tovar's, including the secondary scene in the background, in which an archangel is depicted fighting a demon who intends to attack a lamb holding a phylactery with the text "Ave Maria" in its mouth. Thus, the only iconographic differences with respect to Tovar's work are the Virgin's crown and the archangel, who in the work by the master from Higueras de la Sierra carries a flaming sword, while here he appears unarmed. Another differentiating element, although secondary in terms of iconography, is that in this work an angel appears holding Mary's staff, while in Tovar's works the staff appears leaning against the rock.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The death of San Francisco", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents overpaint and restorations. Presents inscription with date.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The Death of Saint Francis", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. It has repainting and restorations. Presents inscription with date. Measurements. 139 x 275 cm. The semicircular format of this work indicates that it is a painting intended as a decorative element, perhaps with the intention of ornamenting the upper areas of an opening, or another architectural space. Of a devotional nature, the artist has depicted the death of Saint Francis, who is lying in the centre of the composition with his eyes closed and his hands with the stigmata on his chest. Saint Francis, the protagonist of the scene, is surrounded by numerous religious of his order who are watching over his corpse, all of whom adopt a different attitude and have different physical features, which shows the artist's mastery. The central image, of a sober and austere character, is relieved by the artist through three elements: the glory break located in the upper area, the family on the left, perhaps representing some donors, whose clothes stand out against the rigorous black of the friars, and finally the presence of a small space on the right, where the official burial of Saint Francis can be seen, already in his coffin. Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, now Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), and began painting in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals. The present canvas shows the direct influences of both Ruiz Soriano and Tovar, so it could be deduced that the artist is a painter from the circle of the former and a follower of the latter. Both masters derived their models from Murillo, as was common among 18th-century Sevillian painters, and this influence is also evident in this canvas, both in the sketchy treatment, with its elaborate classical tones, and in the figures themselves, which are painted with a marked sense of expressive affability and serenity. Within Alonso Miguel de Tovar's production we frequently find the same theme as the present painting, depicted in a very similar compositional model. In the "Divinas Pastoras" in the parish church of Cortelazor, the one in Higuera de la Sierra and the one in the Museo del Prado, all typical of Tovar's style, Mary appears seated on a rock against a landscape background enclosed on the left, dressed in a pink tunic, blue cloak and sheepskin sackcloth, holding a rose in her left hand and caressing a sheep's head with her right. In all of them, moreover, the animals approaching the figure hold roses in their mouths as an offering to Mary. The rest of the elements of the composition are identical to those in Tovar's, including the secondary scene in the background, in which an archangel is depicted fighting a demon who intends to attack a lamb holding a phylactery with the text "Ave Maria" in its mouth. Thus, the only iconographic differences with respect to Tovar's work are the Virgin's crown and the archangel, who in the work by the master from Higueras de la Sierra carries a flaming sword, while here he appears unarmed. Another differentiating element, although secondary in terms of iconography, is that in this work an angel appears holding Mary's staff, while in Tovar's works the staff appears leaning against the rock.

SAN FRANCISCO Y LAS TRES SANTAS

Lienzo de gran formato en el que Ruiz Soriano, considerado uno de los mejores seguidores de Murillo, demuestra la exquisitez formal y maestría técnica alcanzada en su carrera como pintor. En la parroquia de San Pedro Apóstol de Cartaya (Huelva), se conserva un lienzo de formato similar en el que Ruiz Soriano representa este mismo tema franciscano.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The death of San Francisco", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents overpaint and restorations. Presents inscription with date.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The Death of Saint Francis", 1743. Oil on canvas. Re-retouched. It has repainting and restorations. Presents inscription with date. Measurements. 139 x 275 cm. The semicircular format of this work indicates that it is a painting intended as a decorative element, perhaps with the intention of ornamenting the upper areas of an opening, or another architectural space. Of a devotional nature, the artist has depicted the death of Saint Francis, who is lying in the centre of the composition with his eyes closed and his hands with the stigmata on his chest. Saint Francis, the protagonist of the scene, is surrounded by numerous religious of his order who are watching over his corpse, all of whom adopt a different attitude and have different physical features, which shows the artist's mastery. The central image, of a sober and austere character, is relieved by the artist through three elements: the glory break located in the upper area, the family on the left, perhaps representing some donors, whose clothes stand out against the rigorous black of the friars, and finally the presence of a small space on the right, where the official burial of Saint Francis can be seen, already in his coffin. Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, now Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), and began painting in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals. The present canvas shows the direct influences of both Ruiz Soriano and Tovar, so it could be deduced that the artist is a painter from the circle of the former and a follower of the latter. Both masters derived their models from Murillo, as was common among 18th-century Sevillian painters, and this influence is also evident in this canvas, both in the sketchy treatment, with its elaborate classical tones, and in the figures themselves, which are painted with a marked sense of expressive affability and serenity. Within Alonso Miguel de Tovar's production we frequently find the same theme as the present painting, depicted in a very similar compositional model. In the "Divinas Pastoras" in the parish church of Cortelazor, the one in Higuera de la Sierra and the one in the Museo del Prado, all typical of Tovar's style, Mary appears seated on a rock against a landscape background enclosed on the left, dressed in a pink tunic, blue cloak and sheepskin sackcloth, holding a rose in her left hand and caressing a sheep's head with her right. In all of them, moreover, the animals approaching the figure hold roses in their mouths as an offering to Mary. The rest of the elements of the composition are identical to those in Tovar's, including the secondary scene in the background, in which an archangel is depicted fighting a demon who intends to attack a lamb holding a phylactery with the text "Ave Maria" in its mouth. Thus, the only iconographic differences with respect to Tovar's work are the Virgin's crown and the archangel, who in the work by the master from Higueras de la Sierra carries a flaming sword, while here he appears unarmed. Another differentiating element, although secondary in terms of iconography, is that in this work an angel appears holding Mary's staff, while in Tovar's works the staff appears leaning against the rock.

Andalusian school; Circle of JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "Portrait of a clergyman." Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents overpaints and restorations.

Andalusian School; Circle of JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "Portrait of a clergyman. Oil on canvas. Re-retouched. It has repainting and restorations. Measurements: 159 x 111 cm; 173 x 124 cm (frame). In this scene the author presents us the image of a religious dressed in black tunic, so it is probably the representation of a religious of the order of Saint Benedict. In the centre of the scene, seated at a desk, he looks towards the viewer, revealing a realistic face with a very rounded form, gesture and expression that the artist manages to portray. The figure holds a pen in one of his hands, while the other holds a book from which the palm leaf, referring to martyrdom, is detached. One of the most notable features of the composition is the scene in the central area on the left. Here we can see a group of small figures who seem to be observing something outside the composition. The agitation of this scene contrasts with the stillness of the rest of the painting. It is likely that this device alludes to the texts referring to the main figure or to biographical information about him, so that the painter has introduced it in a narrative manner, with the intention of portraying not only the figure of the religious figure but also his context. Due to the technical characteristics of the work, this piece can be included in the artistic circle of Juan Ruiz Soriano. Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, now Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), beginning his pictorial activity in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "Divine shepherdess". Oil on canvas. Reengineered. Presents repaints and restorations. With certificate from Enrique Valdivieso.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "Divine Shepherdess". Oil on canvas. Re-retouched. With repainting and restorations. With certificate of Enrique Valdivieso. Measurements: 46 x 37 cm., 58 x 49 cm. (frame) Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, nowadays Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), beginning his pictorial activity in 1725. As a disciple of Tovar, it is logical that Ruiz Soriano's art should at the same time derive from that of Murillo, which is why his pictorial production is characterised by a soft, gentle drawing. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, which asked him to produce a series of paintings to decorate their cloister walls. He must also have worked extensively for private individuals. The present canvas shows the direct influence of Tovar. Both masters derived their models from Murillo, as was common among 18th-century Sevillian painters, and this influence is also evident in this canvas, both in the sketchy treatment and the very elaborate classical tones, as well as in the shepherdess and the lamb, which are painted with a marked sense of expressive affability and serenity. Within Alonso Miguel de Tovar's production we frequently find the same theme as in this painting, depicted following a very similar compositional model. In the "Divinas Pastoras" in the parish church of Cortelazor, the one in Higuera de la Sierra and the one in the Museo del Prado, all typical of Tovar's style, Mary appears seated on a rock against a landscape background enclosed on the left, dressed in a pink tunic, blue cloak and sheepskin sackcloth, holding a rose in her left hand and caressing a sheep's head with her right. In all of them, moreover, the animals approaching the figure hold roses in their mouths as an offering to Mary. The rest of the elements of the composition are identical to those of Tovar's, showing that the pupil copied his master in the execution of this delicate piece.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The death of St. Francis", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined.

JUAN RUIZ SORIANO (Higuera de la Sierra, Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763). "The death of St. Francis", 1743. Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents repainting and restorations. Presents inscription with date. Measurements. 139 x 275 cm. The semicircular format of this work indicates that it is a painting designed as a decorative element, perhaps with the intention of ornamenting the upper areas of a vain, or other architectural space. Of devotional character, the author has portrayed the death of Saint Francis, who is lying in the center of the composition, with his eyes closed and his hands with the stigmata on his chest. Saint Francis, the protagonist of the scene, is surrounded by numerous religious of his order who are watching over the corpse, all of them adopting a different attitude and different physical features, which shows the mastery of the author. The central image, of sober and austere character, is relieved by the author through three elements; the glory break located in the superior zone, the family that is arranged in the left zone, that perhaps represent some donors, whose clothes stand out on the rigorous black of the friars, and finally the presence of a small space in the right area, where the official burial of San Francisco can be appreciated, already in his coffin. Born in the town of Higuera de Aracena, currently Higuera de la Sierra, Juan Ruiz Soriano trained in Seville with his cousin Alonso Miguel de Tovar (Higuera de la Sierra, 1678 - Madrid, 1752), beginning his pictorial activity in 1725. Being a disciple of Tovar it is logical that the art of Ruiz Soriano derives, at the same time, from that of Murillo, and for that reason in his pictorial production a soft and kind drawing is noticed. We know that he worked for numerous religious orders, who turned to him to make series of paintings to decorate the cloister walls. He must also have worked with great insistence for private individuals. In this canvas we can appreciate the direct influences of both Ruiz Soriano and Tovar, so it could be deduced that the author is a painter of the circle of the first, and a follower like him of the second. Both masters derived their models from Murillo, as was common among Sevillian painters of the eighteenth century, a mark that is also evident in this canvas both in the treatment, drawing and very worked tonalities of classical roots, and in the characters themselves, worked with a marked sense of expressive affability and serenity. Within the production of Alonso Miguel de Tovar we frequently find the same theme that this painting deals with, represented also following a very similar compositional model. In the "Divinas Pastoras" of the parish church of Cortelazor, the one of Higuera de la Sierra and the one preserved in the Prado Museum, all typical of Tovar's style, Mary appears seated on a rock on a landscape background closed on the left, dressed in a pink tunic, blue cloak and sheepskin sackcloth, holding a rose in her left hand and caressing the head of a sheep with her right hand. In all of them, in addition, the animals that approach the figure carry roses in their mouths, as an offering to Mary. The rest of the elements of the composition are identical to those of Tovar, including the secondary scene located in the background, in which an archangel appears fighting against a demon that intends to attack a lamb that holds in its mouth a phylactery with the text "Ave Maria". Thus, the only iconographic differences with respect to the work of Tovar are the crown of the Virgin and the archangel, who in the work of the master of Higueras de la Sierra carries a flaming sword, while here he appears unarmed. Another differentiating element, although secondary in terms of iconography, is that in this work an angel appears holding Mary's staff, while in Tovar's works the staff appears leaning on the rock.

SEVILLIAN SCHOOL (LATE 17TH- EARLY 18TH CENTURY/.) "The Good Shepherd"

Interesting work where you can appreciate the important mark left by Bartolome Esteban Murillo in the Sevillian painters of the later generation. Among the many followers of Murillo, Juan Ruiz Soriano (1701- 1763) and Francisco Meneses Osorio (1630 - 1721) would be those who have a style closer to the present work. . Oil on canvas

JUAN RUÍZ SORIANO Higuera de Aracena 1701 - Seville 1763 Sagrada Familia Oil on

JUAN RUÍZ SORIANO Higuera de Aracena 1701 - Seville 1763 Sagrada Familia Oil on canvas Size 105 x 126 cm

JUAN RUÍZ SORIANO (Huelva, 1701 - Seville, 1763) Divine Sheperdess

JUAN RUÍZ SORIANO (Huelva, 1701 - Sevilla, 1763) Divina Pastora 80 x 60 cm

San Francisco y las tres santas

JUAN RUÍZ SORIANO, Divina Pastora. Oil on canvas

Divina Pastora JUAN RUÍZ SORIANO (Huelva, 1701 - Sevilla, 1763) Divina Pastora Firmado en el ángulo inferior izquierdo. Con importante marco de la época, a base de roleos y angelotes, realizado en madera tallada, dorada y policromada, de 130 x 105 cm. Juan Ruíz Soriano fue uno de los pintores más prolíficos en la Sevilla de la primera mitad del S. XVIII, continuador del estilo de Murillo. Para su Divina Pastora, el pintor sigue el modelo creado por Alonso Miguel de Tovar a partir de los escritos de Fray Isidoro de Sevilla: “Píntase pues este prodigio de la gracia, esta Imagen milagrosa, con la mayor hermosura, que el pincel le puede dar, en un monte, o valle, entre árboles, y plantas, sitio propio de los Pastores, sentada en una peña, rodeada toda de Ovejitas, que a cada una tiene en la boca una Rosa hermosísima (...)”.

JUAN RUÍZ SORIANO (Huelva, 1701 - Sevilla, 1763), Divina Pastora - JUAN RUÍZ SORIANO (Huelva, 1701 - Sevilla, 1763) Divina Pastora

Firmado en el ángulo inferior izquierdo. Con importante marco de la época, a base de roleos y angelotes, realizado en madera tallada, dorada y policromada, de 130 x 105 cm. Juan Ruíz Soriano fue uno de los pintores más prolíficos en la Sevilla de la primera mitad del S. XVIII, continuador del estilo de Murillo. Para su Divina Pastora, el pintor sigue el modelo creado por Alonso Miguel de Tovar a partir de los escritos de Fray Isidoro de Sevilla: “Píntase pues este prodigio de la gracia, esta Imagen milagrosa, con la mayor hermosura, que el pincel le puede dar, en un monte, o valle, entre árboles, y plantas, sitio propio de los Pastores, sentada en una peña, rodeada toda de Ovejitas, que a cada una tiene en la boca una Rosa hermosísima (...)”.