Juan Ruiz Soriano (Circle), The Divine Shepherdess (La Divina Pastora)

Juan Ruiz Soriano (Circle), The Divine Shepherdess (La Divina Pastora)This tender mid 18th century Sevillian oil painting depicts the Virgin Mary as La Divina Pastora, the Divine Shepherdess. Attired in a straw hat, decorated with flora, she rests in quiet contemplation. In her left hand, a single rose, a symbol of her divine grace. By her right, an affectionate lamb nuzzles, while others look on. Its a gentle portrayal of nurture imbued with distinct Sevillian iconography. Above, an angel hovers amid a glow of

What wicked news did the missive contain

capturing nature without over-embellishment

The virtues of rural labour rendered with loose brushwork and tonal mastery

Ladell debuted at London’s Royal Academy where he continued to exhibit for 30 years

one can imagine him patiently waiting behind his easel as the morning sun gently lifted above the horizon

The ancestry records have yielded little information

he was taught in Antwerp by traditionalists who lauded the fine qualities of the Old Masters

Our reference: BRV2074

Our reference: BRV2062

while numerous papers scatter its surface

It’s an impromptu expression of what one sees before them - an effort to render a moment in time before it vanishes

birch trees