The paintings of Francisco de Herrera first period show the influence of the late Mannerism of Francisco Pacheco, of whom Herrera was disciple.  In 1616 he produced a large series of paintings for the convent of Saint Francis.  Towards the end of the 1620’s, his style had evolved, defining the characteristics of his artistic maturity, showing loose brushstrokes and an inclination towards strong and expressive features in his characters.  It is during this period when the main influence that his work had is more noticeable: that of Juan de Roelas, one of the most important masters of Sevillian painting of the time.  The looseness that Herrera acquired in his brushstroke, with an origin in the Venetian painting tradition, came from the influence of this master, thus allowing him to develop a style of his own, combining compositions that were still mannerist but with a more fluent technique, anticipating the Baroque.  During this period he was established as one of the most important masters in Seville, receiving numerous commissions both in his own city and from other towns as well.

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