🖌️ Murillo and the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville are two names that, like the bronze that immortalises the painter in front of the gallery, form an unbreakable union in the history of Spanish art.
Considered by Antonio Palomino as "the painter of Seville par excellence", Bartolomé Esteban Murillo turned the Hispalensian capital into the epicentre of Andalusian Baroque, and the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, the second largest art gallery in Spain, today guards the greatest legacy of the Sevillian genius and the most important collection of his work in the world.
Stay with The Sun Places in our Luxury Apartments in Seville and immerse yourself in this eternal love story between a painter and his city.
There are names that merge with the identity of a city. In Seville, Murillo and the Museum of Fine Arts are two of those names. Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, the painter of light and devotion, turned the Hispalensian capital into the epicentre of Andalusian Baroque.
And the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, considered the second most important art gallery in Spain after the Prado Museum, guards his legacy like no other place in the world.
In its halls, located in the former Convent of La Merced, you can breathe the history of a city that was the cradle of some of the most universal artists in history.
At The Sun Places, where luxury is defined by authenticity and connection with the territory, we want to invite you to discover this heritage treasure that defines the soul of Seville.
🏛️ History of the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville: from convent to art gallery
The history of the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville is the history of disentailment, heritage and culture.
It was created by Royal Order of 16 September 1835, under the name of "Museum of Paintings", as a consequence of Mendizábal's disentailment, which expropriated the assets of convents and monasteries and forced the storage of their works of art.
The building it occupies is the former Convent of La Merced Calzada, founded in the 13th century and reformed between 1602 and 1612 by the architect Juan de Oviedo y de la Bandera, configuring one of the best examples of Andalusian Mannerism.
In 1839, this disentailed convent was chosen as the permanent headquarters, officially opening in 1841.
Since then, the building has undergone four major interventions: the first between 1868 and 1898, when the arcades were restored and the cloisters were tiled with tiles from other convents; the second between 1942 and 1945, with the opening of the Patio de las Conchas; a third inconclusive one in the 1970s; and the last one, between 1985 and 1993, which rehabilitated the entire complex and adapted it to modern museography.
Today, the museum faces a new expansion project with the buildings of the Palacio de Monsalves and the former public library.
🎨 Bartolomé Esteban Murillo: the painter of Sevillian light
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was born in Seville in 1617 and died in the same city in 1682. He is one of the most universal painters in the history of Spanish art and the greatest exponent of the Sevillian Baroque school.
His work, deeply religious, is characterised by a delicacy and luminosity that make it unmistakable.
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo knew how to capture popular devotion and bring the divine closer to the human, using real models to represent saints and virgins, in what is known as "portraits to the divine".
His influence was so great that his style became hegemonic in Sevillian painting from the mid-17th century, and his fame transcended borders, being admired throughout Europe.
In Seville, a bronze statue of the painter presides over the square that bears his name, in front of the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, and there is an exact replica in front of the Prado Museum in Madrid.
The bond of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo with Seville is so deep that in 2022 the Regional Government of Andalusia protected two of his works as Assets of Cultural Interest (BIC): Santa Catalina de Alejandría and San Pedro penitente, with the aim of keeping them in the city.
🖼️ Masterpieces by Murillo at the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville
The Museum of Fine Arts of Seville houses the most important collection of works by Murillo in the world. In its halls, especially in Room V (the former church of the convent) and Room VII (dedicated to Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and his disciples), you can admire some of his masterpieces. Among them are:
- Santa Catalina de Alejandría (c. 1650): One of the most unique works in the museum, acquired by the Regional Government of Andalusia in 2022. It depicts the saint half-length, with her gaze directly at the viewer, in what is considered a "portrait to the divine". The work has a fascinating history: it was stolen by Marshal Soult during the Napoleonic invasion and passed through several hands until it was recovered in 2022.
- The Jubilee of the Porziuncola (1665-1670): Considered one of the peaks of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo's painting, this large canvas (over four metres high) narrates the appearance of Christ and the Virgin to Saint Francis. The work was acquired by the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne in 1898 and has been on deposit in Seville since 2016. Thanks to an agreement with the German museum, the work will remain in Seville until 2031.
- Series for the Capuchin Convent: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo produced a series of paintings between 1665 and 1670 for the church of the Capuchin Convent in Seville. Several of them are exhibited in Room V of the museum.
- Virgen de la Servilleta (The Napkin Virgin): One of the most popular works by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, which receives its name from the tradition that tells that the painter made it on a napkin for his maid.
- Immaculate Conception "La Colosal": One of the most grandiose representations of the Immaculate Conception, over three metres high.
🏆 What Murillo and the Museum of Fine Arts represent for Seville and The Sun Places
Murillo and the Museum of Fine Arts represent the cultural identity of Seville and its universal projection. The museum is considered by many as the "second art gallery of Spain", second only to the Prado Museum.
It is a place where history, art and architecture merge into a unique experience.
For The Sun Places, this museum embodies the luxury of authenticity and tradition: the luxury of contemplating masterpieces in an environment that breathes history, of understanding the devotion and beauty that define Seville.
Our Luxury Apartments in Seville are located in the heart of the city, just a few steps from this heritage treasure, so you can enjoy this experience with maximum comfort and exclusivity.
🎭 The Sun Places: the perfect plan to discover Murillo and the Museum of Fine Arts
Friday: arrival and first contact with Murillo
- In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Fine Arts to discover Murillo's works in Room V and Room VII
Saturday: immersion in Sevillian Baroque
- Private guided tour of the museum, focused on the work of Murillo and his contemporaries (Zurbarán, Valdés Leal, Velázquez)
Sunday: farewell with a taste of tradition
- Morning: walk through the Triana Neighbourhood, crossing its bridge to visit the Seville Cathedral
The Sun Places: your luxury host in Murillo's Seville
At The Sun Places we believe that art and luxury can go hand in hand.
That's why we offer you special packages to discover Murillo and the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville that include private visits to the museum with expert Baroque art guides, access to temporary exhibitions and gastronomic experiences in the best restaurants in the city
Ready to discover Murillo and the Museum of Fine Arts with The Sun Places?
📞 Contact us and let us design your perfect cultural experience in Seville.
If you want to continue exploring the essence of Spain, remember that The Sun Places is also present in other unique destinations. Discover our Luxury Apartments in Barcelona, Luxury Accommodation on the Costa Brava, Luxury Apartments in Madrid, Luxury Apartments in Cádiz, Luxury Apartments in Córdoba, Luxury Apartments in Puerto Banús and Luxury Accommodation in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
© 2026 The Sun Places. All rights reserved