This is one of the artist’s later works. It must date from 1689 at the very earliest, as that is the year he became one of the king’s painters and this is indicated alongside his signature by the letters P and R, intertwined and topped by a crown. This sort of work- a religious scene surrounded by a garland -was quite frequent in 17th-century Flemish painting, but the same genre was cultivated by Arellano, to whom Pérez had close professional and family ties.

The flamboyant composition recalls those by Seghers (1590-1661) or by members of the Brueghel family. However, the use of cartouches inside the work, which was customary in paintings by Seghers and was adopted by Arellano, has been replaced here by a freer and more appropriate depiction of the miracle being narrated: Saint Anthony of Padua’s vision of the Christ Child. Other indications that Pérez was exploring the baroque decorative approach then in vogue include the manner in which, rather than establishing a closed oval or circle, the garland presents three irregular groups of roses, tulips, passion flowers, daffodils and peonies that leave the upper part open to the saint’s vision, which descends from the heavens. The soft, silky brushstrokes caress the surface to produce a strikingly attractive effect, with a fluid, translucent paint that eschews all rigidity. And this is further enhanced by a sense of overall lightness produced by the warm palette of contrasting pinks, reds and yellows separated, in places, by touches of white. The excellent illumination creates lighter and darker areas, thus establishing a skillfully expressed play of volumes that brings out the colors. The shadowy background serves to heighten the composition, as well as making it more believable.

The idea that Pérez painted the figures, whose appearance is perfectly consistent with works from the Court of Charles II (r. 1665-1700) in Madrid, is traditionally accepted, and probably correct, especially as Palomino’s reference to that artist in 1715 mentions that he was admired for his figures. The subject matter was quite common during the Counterreformation. Innumerable painters depicted Saint Anthony of Padua worshiping the Christ Child, who appeared to him surrounded by cherubs, and often at the center of a powerful light. This effect is softened here, possibly because Pérez sought to craft a harmonious and delicate painting without any striking excesses (Text drawn from Luna, J. J. : El bodegón español en el Prado. De Van der Hamen a Goya, Museo Nacional del Prado, 2008, p. 108).