Andean Colonial Oil on Canvas: Virgin & Child, Donor and Saint | Cuzco School | Circa 1780–1820
Description
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Historical Context & Origin
Region: Andean Colonial, Peru (Cuzco or Upper Peru workshop)
Material: Oil on canvas, laid to wooden panel; later gilt-and-black frame
Period: Late 18th–Early 19th Century (ca. 1780–1820)
Description
A magnificent Andean Colonial Madonna and Child devotional oil painting from the renowned Cuzco School tradition. Depicting the crowned Virgin and Christ Child surrounded by angelic putti, the composition exemplifies the vivid Andean palette, baroque symbolism, and spiritual intensity that defined post-colonial South American art.
Below, a kneeling pilgrim saint—possibly St. James (Santiago)—and a uniformed donor evoke the fusion of European iconography and local piety. The Virgin’s radiant nimbus and coral-and-gold highlights typify late-18th-century regional workshops. The canvas, later laid to panel, reflects traditional 19th-century conservation methods used throughout Peru and Bolivia.
Features
- Crowned Madonna and Child with radiant nimbus
- Cherubic putti among luminous clouds
- Pilgrim saint with rosary and staff
- Uniformed donor holding halberd; colonial architecture in distance
- Vivid Andean pigments and folk-baroque brushwork
- Oil on canvas, laid to wooden panel; later gilt-and-black frame
Cultural Significance
The Escuela Cuzqueña united European Counter-Reformation ideals with Andean symbolism, producing spiritual masterpieces for churches and private devotion. Such paintings represented divine intercession, often commissioned by noble families or colonial militias—making this example both historically and culturally significant.
Condition
Stable with fine craquelure and light restoration from past conservation. Minor wear and toning consistent with age. Frame with gentle abrasions and small nicks.
Dimensions (approximate)
Height: 27.5 in
Width: 36 in (framed overall)
Age
Circa 1780–1820, Cuzco School tradition (Late 18th–Early 19th Century)
Learn More
Read About The Conservation of Cuzco School Paintings From The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Conserving Cuzco School Paintings
Description
Historical Context & Origin
Region: Andean Colonial, Peru (Cuzco or Upper Peru workshop)
Material: Oil on canvas, laid to wooden panel; later gilt-and-black frame
Period: Late 18th–Early 19th Century (ca. 1780–1820)
Description
A magnificent Andean Colonial Madonna and Child devotional oil painting from the renowned Cuzco School tradition. Depicting the crowned Virgin and Christ Child surrounded by angelic putti, the composition exemplifies the vivid Andean palette, baroque symbolism, and spiritual intensity that defined post-colonial South American art.
Below, a kneeling pilgrim saint—possibly St. James (Santiago)—and a uniformed donor evoke the fusion of European iconography and local piety. The Virgin’s radiant nimbus and coral-and-gold highlights typify late-18th-century regional workshops. The canvas, later laid to panel, reflects traditional 19th-century conservation methods used throughout Peru and Bolivia.
Features
- Crowned Madonna and Child with radiant nimbus
- Cherubic putti among luminous clouds
- Pilgrim saint with rosary and staff
- Uniformed donor holding halberd; colonial architecture in distance
- Vivid Andean pigments and folk-baroque brushwork
- Oil on canvas, laid to wooden panel; later gilt-and-black frame
Cultural Significance
The Escuela Cuzqueña united European Counter-Reformation ideals with Andean symbolism, producing spiritual masterpieces for churches and private devotion. Such paintings represented divine intercession, often commissioned by noble families or colonial militias—making this example both historically and culturally significant.
Condition
Stable with fine craquelure and light restoration from past conservation. Minor wear and toning consistent with age. Frame with gentle abrasions and small nicks.
Dimensions (approximate)
Height: 27.5 in
Width: 36 in (framed overall)
Age
Circa 1780–1820, Cuzco School tradition (Late 18th–Early 19th Century)
Learn More
Read About The Conservation of Cuzco School Paintings From The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Conserving Cuzco School Paintings
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