The painting is signed and dated 1627, the year the artist died. Although he made a name for himself mainly as a court painter, he produced several religious paintings that reflect a very personal style during the later years of his career. These works reveal a preference for bright colour and clearly defined volumes. Such effects liken him to other Spanish painters, such as Juan Bautista Maíno. These paintings also demonstrate an interest in lighting effects and detailed description, very characteristic of the naturalist school. Some of painting’s elements, such as the Virgin breastfeeding the Child, subsequently had a considerable influence on other artists in the Madrid school.

El arte en la España del Quijote, Ciudad Real, Empresa Pública Don Quijote de la Mancha 2005, 2005, p.132, nº14