A Peasant Boy Leaning on a Sill

The vivid representation of this jovial boy is related to Murillo’s representation of street urchins in larger canvases. The boy is shown at a window, which implies a space beyond the pictorial realm. It was originally intended to respond to a second painting, Young Girl Lifting Her Veil (in a private collection), with the gaze of the boy directed toward the beautiful image of the girl. The message would have been apparent when they were shown together on the same wall.