European Art
European & viceregal art
The Divine Shepherdess
José de Paz Ribera, Spain, 1735
Signed and dated 1735: Joseph de Paz … Pictor Regius … 1735
Signed and dated 1735, this painting represents the Virgin as the Divine Shepherdess, seated beneath a tree and surrounded by sheep bearing roses. Two angels hold a crown above her...
Signed and dated 1735, this painting represents the Virgin as the Divine Shepherdess, seated beneath a tree and surrounded by sheep bearing roses. Two angels hold a crown above her head, while the infant Saint John the Baptist stands beside her with a shepherd’s crook.
The inscription names the painter as Joseph de Paz and includes the title Pictor Regius, identifying him as a royal painter. The pastoral setting and the Virgin’s protective gesture give the composition an intimate devotional character.