This holy conversation conceived with a closed scheme that reflects the Renaissance tradition, and human models based directly on those used by Alonso Cano, has a degree of immediacy and spontaneous familiarity derived from how the different figures relate to each other. Young Saint John draws near to kiss his infant cousin Jesus´ hand while John´s mother expresses their family relationship with her hands, probably so that, given her advanced age, she will not be confused with Saint Anne.

The figures of Saint Elizabeth, derived from the Sainte Anne or Saint Elizabeth on the Getafe retable (Madrid), and the Christ Child are closest to those of Cano, as the Virgin´s face more clearly resembles models by Raphael or even Murillo. The color scheme, however, is absolutely derived from Cano, as are the taste in landscapes, the accessory elements and Mary´s elegant hands. The model for this depiction of Mary is quite reminiscent of The Virgin Appearing to Saint Bernard (Granada Cathedral and church of San Juan de los Reyes)

The technique´s lack of elasticity—something that Cano almost never lacked—as well as the children´s rather wooden anatomies and the figures´ dry facial features force us to consider this an original work by Bocanegra, who was Cano´s best and most faithful disciple, and probably dates from the middle of Bocanegra´s career.

It was acquired from María del Carmen Cabrero de Larrañaga in 1873, and there is a poor copy signed by Narcisa Careaga at the Ecclesiastical court in Granada.