As well as interpreting the story of Christ’s Passion, Montañés created statues of the Virgin, whose dignity, beauty, and feeling won for him the popular admiration of his contemporaries. The worship of the Mother of God had always made deep appeal to the religious heart of Spain; then, in the year 1617, a papal edict was issued, at the earnest instigation of Philip IV., declaring the immaculate nature of Mary. No dogma had ever been accepted so readily, or believed in so fervently, in Spain. The worship of the people in Montañés’ life was, in point of fact, practically centred in adoration of the Virgin Mary; the many different religious orders, while venerating their respective founders and saints, were all united in their devotion to the Virgin. Art, still the servant of religion, was summoned to give expression to this passionate worship. Every artist was engaged in depicting the Virgin Mother. In the North, the artists, working under the inspiration of the Flemish masters, had delighted in representing those Virgins of Anguish where the Mother mourns at the foot of the Cross for her Son. But now Mary took a new form; she symbolises grace and beauty instead of the severity and asceticism of the older ideal. This was especially the case in Seville, the joyous city of the South. Here in exquisite images and paintings we see her young and happy, the sinless Virgin-Mother of the Lord. Montañés in sculpture and Murillo in painting were the great masters of this new ideal. They interpreted the favoured subject with that combination of naturalism and mysticism which found its way direct to the heart of the Andalusian religionists. They share together the claim of being the creators of the Spanish Virgins. Seville contains several Conceptions by Montañés. There is one in the cathedral, another of equal merit is in the Segrario Chapel of San Julian. The Conceptions of Santa Clara and San Clemente are also fine examples; they have greater merit than the better-known and much-praised Virgin of the University (Plate 143). It will suffice if we describe one of these Conceptions.