Mystic Lamb
Author: Josefa de Óbidos (?)
Origin: Portugal (?)
Dating: c.1660-1670
Material: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions (cm): 55,8 x 65
Inv. no.: PNA66706 / PD0714dep
Lamb are the oldest symbol of Easter. Although they are considered a symbol of Christian Easter, lambs were already important in the Jewish Passover and in several ancient cults – when the sacrifice of animals to the gods were common.
For the Jewish people – descendants of the Hebrews – Passover (Pessach in Hebrew, meaning “passage”) commemorates the Exodus from Egypt, where they were enslaved. In this context, during one of the Ten Plagues of Egypt, the Israelites sacrificed a lamb and painted its blood on their doorposts so that their firstborn children would be spared from the Angel of Death.
For Christians, Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ – considered the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) – sacrificed for the salvation of all humanity. This type of representation in sacred iconography emerged as a metaphor for Jesus Christ and reaches its peak in the 17th century.
This painting has always been attributed to Josefa de Ayala, better known as Josefa de Óbidos. Josefa de Óbidos (1630-1684) became famous, not only for her talent for painting, but also because it was rare for women to be allowed such a high level of education. In fact, this Portuguese painter of Sevillian origin captured the essence of a 17th-century era, taking simple subjects and painting them brilliantly.
Although born in Seville, she lived most of her life in Óbidos and adopted the name of this Portuguese village.
This Baroque painter is best known for her religious subjects, still lifes – featuring flowers, fruits, animals or inanimate objects – and metal engravings. She focused on the study of light and contrasts, characteristic of the Peninsular proto-Baroque style. As one of the few female painters in Europe at the time, she learned from great masters such as Zurbarán, Francisco de Herrera, Valdez Leal, André Reinoso, and from her own father – Baltazar Gomes Figueira.
The bound lamb – its pose suggesting imminent sacrifice – is a potent symbol of Christian obedience and virtue. The lamb’s white colour and living state emphasize its purity.
