A London gallery exposes a portrait made by Velázquez in Tefaf Maastricht and culture denies that it is for sale

The London gallery Stuart Lochhead exposes one of the three portraits that Diego Velázquez made mother Jerónima de la Fuente at the Tefaf Art Fair De Maastricht, although sources from the Ministry of Culture have assured Europa Press that the picture is not on sale.

Thus, they explain that it is a piece that has a temporary export certificate, so it has been removed from Spain-where a private owner has-but when the exhibition ends, it must return.

In case the owner would like to sell ‘Portrait of the mother Jerónima de la Fuente’he would have to ask for authorization from the department directed by Ernest Urtasun, who will also have to assess the situation in case a new buyer would like to get the canvas from Spain.

This piece is part of the exhibition ‘Velázquez + Michelangelo. Early Modern Women: Devotion, Inspiration, and Global Travelthat the gallery has organized for the fair, in which only this painting of Velázquez and a mold of a bronze crucifix, ‘Christ in the Cross’, by Miguel Ángel, of Miguel Ángel, as confirmed by the gallery in a statement to which Europa Press has confirmed.

He ‘Portrait of the mother Jerónima de la Fuente’ It is one of the first real -scale portraits conceived by Velázquez to the nun Jerónima, known in Baroque Spain for its devotion, its penance and its trips all over the world: turning from Cádiz, the Atlantic crossed to found a convent in Manila, the first one in the East East. In the painting, the protagonist shows standing on a dark background and looks directly at the viewer.

On the other hand, ‘Christ on the Cross’by Miguel Ángel, it is a piece that was rediscovered in the year 2023. The mold reflects the crucifix that the mother Jerónima de la Fuente holds in his right hand.

The gallery explains that it is a mold of the bronze crucifix of Miguel Ángel that arrived in Seville in 1597 and in which Christ was represented crucified with four nails, which eventually became the standard model for the representation of the crucifixion throughout Baroque Spain and its colonies.

“The joint presentation of these works aims. By rediscovering these threads, we not only expand the history of each work, but we also join them in a dialogue that transcends time, geography and space and context. It is a unique privilege to be able to do so focusing on two undisputed masterpieces, “explained the gallery.