Saint Bruno, in a niche

This painting depicts the statue of Saint Bruno by Manuel Pereira in the Hospice of the Real Cartuxa del Paular in Madrid. The statue of the founder of the Order of Carthusians was much venerated by pelgrims visiting the city. The artist probably based the composition of this picture on a design by Mariano Salvador Maella which was engraved by Manuel Salvador Carmona in 1769 (see illustration in J.L. Morales y Marin, Mariano Salvador Maella. Vida y obra, Zaragoza, 1996, p. 223, fig. 3).