Belief in the Immaculate Conception had been on the rise in Spain since the 16th century and the country became its main defender, even fighting for it to be recognized as an official dogma of the Catholic Church, a goal that was eventually realized in 1854.

[5] It was exhibited there until 1941, during which time Murillo's art fell out of fashion; as a result the Vichy Regime agreed to return it to Spain's Francisco Franco in an exchange of artwork, along with the Lady of Elche and several pieces of the Treasure of Guarrazar.

[2][5] In the majority, the Virgin Mary appears dressed in a white robe with a blue mantle, her hands crossed over her chest, with a crescent moon at her feet, and eyes upraised towards Heaven.

A delicate sliver of a crescent moon is set at an angle for visual interest, and it encircles her foot, which is concealed for the sake of decorum beneath the pooling layers of white fabric.3 The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables stands out from Murillo's others due to its triumphant tone.

[1][2] In this composition, Murillo did not include several traditional elements of the Virgin's iconography—such as the Tower of David, the sealed fountain, or palm and cypress trees—possibly because these symbols were already featured in the painting's original frame in the Los Venerables Hospital, as described by Fernando de la Torre Farfán [es] in the 18th century.