The Immaculate Conception
1630 - 1640. Grey-brown wash, Pencil on yellow paper.Not on display
The Virgin appears full length, standing on the crescent moon and held by three cherubs. Her hands are joined and her head is gently tilted to the right. Wethey does not consider this a work by Cano, while María Elena Gómez Moreno, who does, points out the similarity of the silhouette to Cano’s sculptural Immaculate Conception from his period in Seville. Martínez Chumillas also considers it characteristic. While it is not of outstanding quality, its character is very much in keeping with Cano’s works and it can be accepted with some reservations. The paper is noticeably deteriorated, with water damage that has caused the ink to run (Text fromVéliz, Z.: Alonso Cano (1601-1667). Dibujos. Catálogo razonado, Fundación Marcelino Botín, 2009, p. 200-201).