The Cádiz-born painter Salvador Viniegra y Lasso (1862-1915) inaugurated a new concept of scene painting in which the picture itself, as snapshot, becomes the object of representation, taking precedence over the ideological content typical of history painting. On this large canvas, Viniegra depicted a rural scene whose most striking features are the luminous atmosphere and caracterisation of the figures gathered to witness the blessing of the fields by the Virgin Maria to ensure a good harvest. This work, in which both elements are perfectly fused, was recognised by critics as a masterpiece of light. It was awarded the first class medal at the National Exhibition in Madrid in 1887 and other European medals in Munich and Vienna.