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An artist whose paintings emphasized the peaceful, joyous aspects of spiritual life, Bartolome Esteban Murillo was the most popular religious painter of 17th-century Spain. Yet little has been written about Murillo, and this splendid volume -- which accompanies the first-ever exhibition of his paintings in American collections -- is the only comprehensive survey of the artist's work available in English.

Presenting new research and essays by the major scholars in the field, the book covers the full range of Murillo's stylistic development -- including portraits, history paintings, and religious images. Many of the artworks have been freshly restored and newly photographed, offering art lovers a wonderful opportunity to appreciate and enjoy Murillo's superb paintings.

This glossy catalog of a current museum exhibition at the Kimbell Art Museum in Forth Worth, TX, showcases works by 17th-century Spanish Baroque master Murillo. A native of artistically independent Seville, Murillo was an opulent colorist who painted theatrically composed genre scenes and religious pictures in which the real world becomes infused with the spiritual. Until the late 19th century, when his reputation was eclipsed by Velásquez, Goya, and El Greco, he was seen as Spain's preeminent artistic product. But since then his pictures have fallen into disfavor, and he has received little critical attention. One reason certainly is a sentimentalism that at times verges on the saccharine. Unlike the now more popular Vermeer, for example, Murillo was not afraid to depict children (particularly in the context of the Holy Family) as pure innocence embodied. This catalog is limited to the works in the show, which is itself limited to paintings from collections in the United States. While this scope feels restrictive, the 34 paintings on view here do span the breadth of Murillo's creative life, forming a representative cross section. The catalog section of the book is preceded by six biocritical essays on Murillo and his legacy, all seeking to rehabilitate an artist who has suffered unfair neglect. A major book on an important painter, this is recommended for most larger libraries. Douglas F. Smith, Oakland P.L., CA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.