The Pentecost

Certainly a pair to the Resurrection and almost certainly painted for the Colegio de Doña María. The two paintings appear to be of the same date and same dimension, that is, the last to be painted for the Colegio. They were probably positioned on the second storey of the altarpiece, possibly either side of the Crucifixion now in the Prado.

There are, however, certain passages in this painting that suggest overpainting or finishing by another hand (Jorge Manuel's?), which could point to a separate contract for this pair of paintings for the college. He was late in finishing the commission and there were difficulties in collecting moneys from the College - was the last of the series left unfinished, and completed later by his son? The Apostle second from the right is certainly a portrait of the artist, and the same portrait appears in the Marriage of the Virgin, one of his last works.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 7 minutes): Johann Sebastian Bach: Komm, heiliger Geist, choral BWV 652