The Patrician's Dream facts for kids
The Patrician's Dream is a famous painting from 1665 by the Spanish artist Bartolome Murillo. Its full name is The Foundation of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome I: The Dream of Patrician John. This beautiful oil painting is now kept at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain, where it has been since 1901.
This artwork tells an interesting story about how a very important church in Rome, called Santa Maria Maggiore, was founded. It shows a man named John, a patrician (which means a wealthy and important person in ancient Rome), having a special dream.
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What is The Patrician's Dream?
This painting is part of a pair of artworks. The other painting is called John the Patrician and his Wife Revealing their Dream to Pope Liberius. Together, these two paintings explain the legend behind the building of the Santa Maria Maggiore church.
The Story Behind the Painting
The legend says that in the summer of 352 AD, a wealthy Roman patrician named John and his wife wanted to donate their money to the church. They prayed to the Virgin Mary to show them how to use their wealth wisely. On the night of August 4th, the Virgin Mary appeared to both John and Pope Liberius in a dream.
The Miracle of the Snow
In the dream, the Virgin Mary told them that a miracle would happen the next morning. She said that snow would fall on one of Rome's hills, even though it was the middle of summer. She instructed them to build a church dedicated to her on the exact spot where the snow appeared. The next morning, snow did indeed fall on the Esquiline Hill in Rome. Pope Liberius and John went to the hill, found the snow, and marked out the area for the new church. This church became the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Who Painted This Artwork?
The artist, Bartolome Murillo, was a very famous Spanish painter from the 1600s. He was known for his religious paintings, especially those featuring the Virgin Mary and children. Murillo often used soft colors and gentle lighting, making his paintings feel very peaceful and spiritual.
Where Was the Painting First Seen?
The Patrician's Dream and its companion painting were originally made for the church of Santa María la Blanca in Seville, Spain. This church used to be a synagogue (a Jewish place of worship) but was changed into a Christian church between 1662 and 1665. The paintings were created to celebrate a special event: Pope Alexander VII's official declaration about the Immaculate Conception. This declaration stated that the Virgin Mary was born without sin.
The Journey of the Paintings
Over time, these important artworks faced some challenges. During the early 1800s, a French general named Marshal Soult took the two main paintings for the Napoleon Museum in Paris. However, after a few years, in 1816, they were returned to Spain. They were first placed in the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando before finally moving to the Museo del Prado, where they can be admired today.
See also
In Spanish: El sueño del patricio para niños
