When Spanish Artist Bartolome Esteban Murillo was asked to create a series of painting for a church in Seville, he formed a friendship with the monk who served as the cook in the refectory.  The cook waited on Murillo hand and foot while the artist worked on the commission.  When the artist’s work was accomplished, the cook begged Merillo for a memento – a painting just for him.

Murillo said he’d be happy to create something for his friend, but he’d exhausted every scrap of his canvas already.  He had nothing to pint on.

The cook told the artist, “Never mind, sir, just take this napkin,” then offered him the linen the artist had just used at dinner.  Without a second thought, Murillo took the napkin and converted it into a portrait of the Madonna and Child that glowed with life and color.  The work 0 Virgin of the Napkin – is now thought to be one of the artist’s most beautiful and resides in the Museum of Seville in Spain.

September 2008 Newsletter