Sevillian school; circa 1700."Pietà".Oil on canvas.The original canvas is preserved.It has restorations.Measurements: 34,5 x 44 cm; 44 x 54 cm (frame).In this work of devotional character, the author represents the Pietà, placing the Virgin and the body of Jesus in the centre of the composition of triangular character. The author arranges a vertical line constructed by the Virgin's face and accentuated by the profile of Christ's body, in opposition to the horizontal line of his right arm, which gives the scene a great sense of stability. Christ's anatomy, which is perfectly described and of sought-after classicism, probably derives from observation of life, while the Virgin's clothing, with its angular drapery, lends a sense of theatricality to the piece. The iconography of the Pietà is the result of a gradual evolution over five centuries and, according to Panofsky, derives from the theme of the Byzantine Threnos, the lamentation of the Virgin over the dead body of Jesus, as well as from the Virgin of Humility. The first artists to see the possibilities of this theme were German sculptors, the first surviving example being found in the city of Coburg, a piece from around 1320. Over time the iconography spread throughout Europe and in the 17th century, after the Counter-Reformation, it became one of the most important themes in devotional painting.The 17th century saw the arrival of the Baroque in the Sevillian school, with the triumph of naturalism over Mannerist idealism, a loose style and many other aesthetic liberties. At this time the school reached its greatest splendour, both in terms of the quality of its works and the primordial status of Sevillian Baroque painting. Thus, during the transition to the Baroque which subsequently laid its foundations during the 18th century.