The Immaculate Conception (God sends the Virgin Mary to Joachim and Anne) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770) oil on canvas, c 1757-1759. This is a study for a large altarpiece. The subject, Mary's virgin birth (the Immaculate Conception) is rarely depicted so literally. God delivers the infant Mary directly from heaven to her parents, Anne and Joachim. Tiepolo's oil sketches were praised for their fluent brushworks and rich colours. He was among the earliest painters to produce these kinds of sketches as independent art works. Photo via Newscom