Bartolomeo Murillo

Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1617-1682) was born in Seville. Orphaned at an early age, he was placed in the workshop of Juan del Castillo, studying there and later in Madrid where he saw work by Ruben and Raphael. In 1645 he received an important commission for the Franciscan Convent in Seville; by 1654 he was considered Seville's most important artist. He did not confine himself to religious works, but painted portraits and genre scenes of great popularity. Murillo died in Cadiz after a fall from scaffolding while painting in a convent there.