ticketsMember | Make a donation

Battle between Christians and Muslims at El Sotillo

ca. 1637–39
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 624

Between 711 and 1492 Muslim North Africans controlled large parts of Spain, battling for territory with the kingdom’s Catholic rulers. This history propelled centuries of persecution by Spanish kings of remaining Muslim populations. In 1609 people who had been forced to convert to Christianity from Islam, known as Moriscos, were forcibly exiled, and many who remained were enslaved. This painting embodies Spanish Catholics’ persistent interest in shaping these narratives hundreds of years later. It shows an alleged miracle that took place in 1370, when Muslim troops prepared to ambush a Catholic encampment under cover of night but were revealed by the Virgin Mary, who suddenly illuminated the sky. It was once the centerpiece of a fifty-foot-tall altarpiece that Zurbarán completed for a monastery near the site of the battle.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Battle between Christians and Muslims at El Sotillo
  • Artist: Francisco de Zurbarán (Spanish, Fuente de Cantos 1598–1664 Madrid)
  • Date: ca. 1637–39
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: Arched top, 131 7/8 x 75 1/4 in. (335 x 191.1 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Kretschmar Fund, 1920
  • Object Number: 20.104
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Agnus Dei, Francisco de Zurbarán Spanish, Oil on canvas
On loan to The Met
Agnus Dei
Francisco de Zurbarán
ca. 1635–40
The Crucifixion, Francisco de Zurbarán Spanish, Oil on canvas
The Crucifixion
Francisco de Zurbarán
Saint Benedict, Francisco de Zurbarán Spanish, Oil on canvas
Saint Benedict
Francisco de Zurbarán
ca. 1640–45
The Young Virgin, Francisco de Zurbarán Spanish, Oil on canvas
The Young Virgin
Francisco de Zurbarán
ca. 1632–33
Virgin and Child, Bartolomé Estebán Murillo Spanish, Oil on canvas
Virgin and Child
Bartolomé Estebán Murillo
1670s

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Showing 4 of 6

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.