PROVENANCE: D. Manuel Lopez Cepero, Seville, 1868; Mrs. John Rovensky, New York, 1956; Coleman Galleries; Julius Weitzner, New York; Gift of Oscar and Harry Dwoskin to BJU, 1957.

Despite the difficulty of being orphaned as a child, Murillo had the good fortune to train in the studio of Juan del Castillo. In 1633 he made plans to immigrate to the New World , but for an unknown reason did not go. His pictures were increasingly in demand both in Seville and the New World . Murillo went through several stylistic stages, influenced by artists such as Zurbarán. Painterly brushstrokes, a light and delicate palette, and forms that dissolve into the background characterize his personal style. His participation in founding the Seville Academy of Drawing in 1660 illustrates his ambition and influence. According to his biographer Palomino de Castro, the artist died tragically as a result of a fall from a scaffold while painting an altarpiece.

Murillo's position as heir to Zurbarán's pietistic work was assured by his sentimental paintings of the Virgin, the Christ Child, and little boys. The Heavenly Shepherd mixes two of his most popular genres. Although paintings of the young Christ were prevalent by the time Murillo painted, he still concentrated heavily on the subject and exploited the sentimental possibilities to their fullest. The pastel colors and projection of Christ as a boy with his pet sheep appealed to the sensibilities of many patrons, ultimately making Murillo one of the most popular artists of his era.