José Villegas (active in Mexico in the last quarter of the 18th century)
The Beato Sebastián de Aparicio Taming the Beasts
Last quarter of the 18th century
Oil on canvas
Oil on canvas
86×114 cm
Sebastián Aparicio de Prado, born in 1502 in La Gudiña, Spain, moved to New Spain in 1535. After a successful career in haulage and land ownership, he became a Franciscan novice in 1574 and was known for his charitable work and piety. He died in 1600 and was beatified in 1789.
The painting *The Beato Sebastián de Aparicio Taming the Beasts*, likely by José Villegas, depicts Aparicio blessing an ox and taming animals, reflecting a print by Giovanni Girolamo Frezza. Key elements include the friar’s cart and a jug with madonna lilies, symbolizing his purity. Similar works, inspired by Frezza’s prints, are found in other collections, such as in Puebla and Guanajuato.