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Unit 3 (2nd half): c. 200 - 1750 CE
Early Europe and Colonial America
Images 73-83; 85-97
Main Ideas:
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As different cultural and intellectual movements sprung throughout Europe, artists sought to depict God in their artworks in different ways
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As different entities (such as the Catholic Church, French monarchy, Spanish monarchy in America, etc.) sought to expand their power, they commissioned artworks that glorified their power
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Cinquecento Art
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Northern Cinquecento: Depicted religious scenes and scenes from daily life in a naturalistic and aesthetic way to allow people to learn valuable lessons from them
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Southern Cinquecento: Continued the revival of classical & pagan ideals, but focused more on creating a more aesthetic image than simply on realism & perspective
Image 74: Adam and Eve
Name
Adam and Eve
Artist
Albrecht Dürer
Date
1504 CE
Material
Engraving
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Uses weird contradictions to showcase the balance of the 4 humors (white bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood) right before Eve committed the original sin
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Before modern medical practices, doctors believed our body had 4 humors (listed above), and any illnesses were caused by an imbalance in those humors
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The bodies are in contrapposto even though they appear twisted
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The little sign (top left) is in Latin and says the artist is from Nuremberg, but Latin was not common there
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Tree’s roots look unreal
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Eve (right) plucks an apple from a fig tree
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A parrot perches on a tree even though parrots are tropical birds
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Six animals stroll through the scene, which is very uncommon (since those 6 animals don't appear together often)
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4 of the animals represent the 4 humors are in balance (instead of having one dominant humor)
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Parrot represents the influence of Virgin Mary (which goes away when Eve commits her original sin)
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This engraving is very complex → Represents the skill of the engraver (Dürer)
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Dürer uses Vitruvian ideals of symmetry
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A type of naturalism/realism where the proportions of a person's body are used to determine the sizes and proportions of other objects (of natural proportion perfection)
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Likely meant to teach us to keep our 4 humors in balance, regardless of the extreme measures we have to take
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Image 77: Isenheim Altarpiece
Name
Isenheim Altarpiece
Artist
Matthias Grünewald
Date
c. 1512 - 1516 CE
Material
Oil on wood
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Christ shows naturalistic depictions of himself in various positions to empathize with the patients suffering from ergotism
- This altarpiece was hung in the Isenheim hospital for patients with ergotism (a skin disease)
- Frontside: Christ himself is suffering from ergotism while crucified → Represents the idea that Christ sympathize with those suffering from ergotism at the Isenheim hospital
- Christ is depicted in a naturalistic fashion to show that he's a normal human just like us → Easier for patients to empathize with him
- St. Anthony is on the rightmost panel, and he is known to help cure ergotism → His presence gives hope to the patients
- Backside: Shows Christ's life story to show that miracles can save the lives of people suffering from ergotism (like Christ himself was)
- Annunciation (left side); Resurrection (right side); Lamentation (bottom panel)
- Christ was suffering from ergotism (on the frontside), and here he shares his life story to inspire other ergotism patients that it is possible to recover from ergotism and live a happy life
Image 79: Allegory of Law and Grace
Name
Allegory of Law and Grace
Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Date
c. 1530 CE
Material
Woodcut and letterpress
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Contrast between left (law) and right (gospel) side shows a contrast between Catholicism and Martin Luther’s (Protestant) views → Encourages us to support Protestantism
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Left Side:
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Dead tree
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Skeleton and demon frighten a man as a prophet points strictly to the law (which involves doing good deeds to satisfy God)
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Law leads to hell if mistaken for faith because law (without gospel) isn’t path to salvation
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Right Side:
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Healthy tree
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John the Baptist directs man to Christ on the cross → Shows that if people submit to God’s will, they can achieve salvation
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6 columns of Bible at the bottom → Emphasizes Luther’s belief that the Bible alone, and not doing good deeds or donating money, will help you achieve salvation
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Image 83: Hunters in the Snow
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Name
Hunters in the Snow
Artist
Pieter Bruegel the Elder
Date
1565 CE
Material
Oil on wood
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Represents a contrast (between harsh/stressed and playful) in the daily lives of Northern Europeans during winter → Teaches us that it is possible to have fun in wintertime
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Harsh/stresses: The hunters cannot find many animals to hunt
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Their backs are turned to us, we see little of their faces or the colors of their clothing → Emphasizes their despair at not finding any animal to hunt
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One guy has caught a rabbit, but no one else has caught anything
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Playfulness: The children playing in the pond (right side)
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This is a literary narrative
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Our eyes are guided from the stressed part of the image (the hunters at the bottom left) down the hill to the playful part (with the children playing in the pond in the right center)
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The lesson is that although wintertime can come with stresses (such as lack of food), it is possible to have fun (like the children playing in the snow)
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Image 73: Last Supper
Name
Last Supper
Location
Part of Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence, Italy
Arist
Leonardo da Vinci
Date
c. 1494 - 1498 CE
Material
Oil and tempera
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Uses simplistic imagery to showcase the spirituality of Jesus and his 12 apostles
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References the Last Supper of Christ: Jesus's final meal with his 12 apostles before Judas (the 3rd guy to Christ’s left) identifies Christ to the authorities as a Jewish priest (rabbi) → Christ is later arrested
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Jesus’s body (center) is like a perfect equilateral triangle → Represents the perfect geometry of the spiritual world
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These ideal human forms represent a revival (Renaissance) of Plato’s belief in perfect geometry
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The painting could be a halo for the divine figures (Jesus & his 12 apostles), and the table could be separating the earthly humans (us) from the divine figures
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Uses linear perspective to showcase the geometric perfection of the divine figures
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Image 75: Sistine Chapel Ceiling and Altar Wall Frescoes
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Name
Sistine Chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes
Location
Vatican City
Artist
Michelangelo
Date
Ceiling frescoes: c. 1508 - 1512 CE
Altar frescoes: c. 1536 - 1541 CE
Material
Fresco
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Ceiling Fresco: Represents the Old Testament scenes of the origins of the world
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Left to right: Creation of the heavens (sun, water, planets, etc.), Creation of Adam and Eve, Expulsion from Garden of Eden, Noah’s Flood
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Surrounded by nude figures and apostles → Gives more importance/divinity to this story
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Showcases the figures in their own space in a richly-colored way → Makes it easier for us to understand the emotional intensity of each scene when looking at the ceiling from the floor
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Allows us to better understand and feel the creation of the universe through the ceiling's paintings
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The Deluge (flood): Has 4 scenes about people suffering from a flood → Represents God’s justice in wiping out the entire population due to the sins of the wicked
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Right: People take shelter from rain
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Left: People climb a mountain to escape rising sea levels
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Center: A boat capsizes
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Top: People attempt to build Noah's ark to survive the flood
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Difficult to convey emotion due to presence of a large number of figures and actions → Represents more realism/naturalism
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The Delphic Sybil: Uses spiritual imagery and humanistic elements to show a combination of divinity and realism
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Delphic Sybil is a female prophet from in Ancient Greece that helps people worship Gaia, the mother goddess connected with fertility
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Hence, this is a revival of classical (pagan) mythology, which is a key part of the Renaissance
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Spiritual imagery: Circular body represents a halo
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Humanistic imagery: Harmony of proportion, contrapposto, an imposing left elbow and knee, elaborate drapery → Power and virtue
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This combination of divinity & realism is common in the Renaissance as many divine figures were depicted more human-like
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Does not cluster many people and only shows one main figure → Easier to comprehend emotionally, allowing us to empathize and connect with the figure due to her realist depiction
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The Last Judgement: Shows the scene where Christ determines who'll go to heaven & hell
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Its prominent location on the main front wall of the chapel highlights the importance of doing good deeds to end up on Jesus' good side (so that we can eventually go to heaven)
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Image 76: School of Athens
Name
School of Athens
Artist
Raphael
Date
1509 - 1511 CE
Material
Fresco
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Represents all the knowledge of Greek/Roman times that’s being revived now in the Renaissance → Encourages us to learn from that knowledge
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Center left (with red tunic): Plato
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Points upward because his philosophy is that there exists a higher true ultimate reality that is the seat of all truth, beauty, justice, and wisdom
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More abstract philosophy
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Center right (with blue tunic): Aristotle
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Holds his hand down because he believes that the only reality in the world is what we can see and experience ourselves → Believes in the justice and government of the human world
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More experimental/practical philosophy
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Lower left (with a beard looking at his book): Pythagoras
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Believed the world operated in harmony with mathematical laws; were related to ideas of musical and cosmic harmony → Perfection of God
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Planets all move in perfect harmony
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Lower right (back turned, yellow tunic): Ptolemy
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Holds a sphere of the Earth: Promoted the model where all planets orbit around the Earth (geocentric); Tried to prove it as well, which was a bit difficult
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Raphael included a self-portrait of himself (next to Ptolemy)
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Showcased within a large Roman arch, and we see many other Roman arches and Roman sculptures → Emphasizes the classical ideals of the past and encourages us to learn from them
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Image 78: Entombment of Christ
Name
Entombment of Christ
Artist
Jacopo da Pontormo
Date
1525 - 1528 CE
Material
Oil on wood
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Depicts the Lamentation of Christ in a mannerist style
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Mannerism: A style that emerged in the Late Renaissance that still depicts figures in a realistic way but organizes them in a way that emphasizes our emotion when looking at the artwork rather than the image's natural state
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Here, the bodies are arranged in a circular way in an exaggerated manner → When we look at it, our eyes cannot come to rest (because it's arranged like a circle), so we cannot escape the sense of sadness created by the artwork
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No illusion of space, no linear perspective, no perfect anatomy, etc.
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Overexaggerated emotions and bodies
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Image 80: Venus of Urbino
Name
Venus of Urbino
Artist
Titian
Date
c. 1538 CE
Material
Oil on canvas
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Uses softness, exaggeration of the torso, and direct gaze to emphasize the woman’s beauty and sensuality
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Direct gaze → Emphasizes her strength
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This type of oil paint glaze was very soft → Showcases the sensuality of her body
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Chiaroscuro emphasizes her sensuality and realism
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Mannerism: Body is slightly longer than in proportion with legs and feet → Emphasizes her body’s beauty
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Nudeness (and relaxation from reclining) emphasizes sensuality
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Baroque Art
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Southern Baroque: Depicted religious scenes in a grand majestic way to showcase how anyone can go to heaven in order to encourage Protestants to convert back to Catholicism
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Northern Baroque: Focused more on achieving spiritual enlightenment through everyday objects and scenes from daily life by depicting lots of drama, dynamism, and emotional exuberance between people
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French Classicism: Used a mix of classical ideals (from Ancient Greece & Rome) and baroque ideals (ornate swirly decorations) to allude to France's renewed intellectual and physical power
Image 82: Il Gesú, including Triumph in the Name of Jesus ceiling fresco
Name
Il Gesú, including Triumph in the Name of Jesus ceiling fresco
Location
Rome, Italy
Artist
Plan: Giacomo da Vignola
Facade: Giacomo della Porta
Ceiling Fresco: Giovanni Battista Gaulli
Date
Church: 16th Century CE
Facade: 1568 - 1584 CE
Fresco & Stucco figures: 1676 - 1679 CE
Material
Brick, marble, fresco, and stucco
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The church interior & ceiling fresco seek to showcase the spiritual power of Jesus by making God appear closer to us
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Outside facade: Very simple, juxtaposes with the heavenly & majestic feel of the interior
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Church interior: The altar appears much closer to the people than in other rectilinear churches (like Santa Sabina, Image 49) → Seems like God is closer to us
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Wide nave, no side aisles, and the alter is pushed closer to the sitting area → God is closer to us
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Has a big imposing dome above the sitting area (like Pantheon & Hagia Sophia) → People already feel a spiritual connection to heaven (through the dome) while sitting in the nave)
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Ceiling Fresco (Triumph in the Name of Jesus): Emphasizes Jesus's power in helping us achieve salvation → Attempts to regain followers who had converted to Protestantism
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Jesus is surrounded by a golden divine light, and angels are around him → Emphasize his spiritual power
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Allows for a more personal interactive experience with God in contrast with the bustling streets of Rome
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Image 85: Calling of Saint Matthew
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Name
Calling of Saint Matthew
Artist
Caravaggio
Date
c. 1597 - 1601 CE
Material
Oil on canvas
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Shows Jesus calling Matthew to become a saint: Represents the idea that anyone can experience a spiritual awakening
- Matthew is a tax collector and is sitting with other tax collectors (which represents the everyday busy person of the time) → Metaphor for the idea that even ordinary people can experience a spiritual awakening
- Jesus is on the right (facing left) with his right arm extended (like Creation of Adam) toward Matthew (the man with the large brown beard), and Matthew points toward himself
- Some sort of “divine light” between Christ’s arm & Matthew as mainly Jesus's & Matthew's faces are lit up, while everything else is dark
- Jesus’s arm position is the same as that of the Creation of Adam →
Shows that just like Jesus is redeeming mankind by creating Adam, he wants to redeem mankind by converting Matthew into a saint (making him St. Matthew)
- Uses tenebrism (extreme chiaroscuro) to highlight the “divine light” between Jesus and Matthew
- This "divine light" represents the spiritual awakening of Matthew
Image 88: San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane
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Name
San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane
Location
Rome, Italy
Artist
Francesco Borromini (architect)
Date
1638 - 1646 CE
Material
Stone and Stucco
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Interior design has lots of complex geometric shapes & curves, giving a sense of movement → Represents spirituality
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The outside facade foreshadows this sense of movement because the engaged columns are like pivot points for the outside walls
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The interior:
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All the walls appear curvy, and the columns are like pivot points with curved niches between them → Gives a sense of movement, motion, sensuality, and spirituality
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The Dome is more simple while the ground section is more chaotic → Represents the purity of heaven & chaos of the Earthly world and how heaven helps control the chaos of the Earthly world
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The dome is an oval and has geometric shapes carved in it, representing more realism & simplicity than mannerism
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Has sunlight coming through a triangle with a dove inside (references the Holy Trinity) → As the sun illuminates the image, it represents the supernatural influence of God, the Holy Spirit
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The Floor Plan: The church is made up of simple geometric shapes (as the main hall is a rhombus inscribed in an oval → Thus, the main sense of movement comes from the interior design
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Image 89: Ecstasy of Saint Teresa
Name
Ecstasy of Saint Teresa
Location
Cornaro Chapel; Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria; Rome, Italy
Artist
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Date
c. 1647 - 1652 CE
Material
Sculpture: Marble
Chapel: Stucco and Gilt Bronze
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The sculpture represents a story of a revival of St. Teresa's personal connection to God, and the surrounding chapel uses imagery to emphasize this revival
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The sculpture: An Angel is piercing St. Teresa with a spear to revive her personal connection to God
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A reference to a scene in a play
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The chapel & the sculpture's setup: Uses light and spiritual imagery to emphasize the revival of St. Teresa's personal connection to God
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There is a hidden window behind the sculpture that illuminates the golden rods above the sculpture → Gives more spiritual "light" to the sculpture's message
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The interior has many curved niches with the columns as pivot points (just like San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Image 88) → Gives a sense of movement & spirituality to the sculpture
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On the sides of the chapel are sculptures of the church's patrons, and the church's audience sits in front of the sculpture → Gives he impression that this is a theatrical setup to emphasize the religious revival present in the sculpture
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At the top is a glass window that illuminates a dove (like Image 88) → Symbolizes the power of the Holy Spirit (God) to accompany the sculpture's message of religious revival
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The purpose: Uses imagery to emphasize the power of St. Teresa's religious revival, encouraging other people to revive their belief in Catholicism
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Image 91: Las Meninas
Name
Las Meninas
Artist
Diego Velázquez
Date
c. 1656 CE
Material
Oil on canvas
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Velazquez shows himself using loose brushstrokes to create an intimate scene of reality with the powerful Spanish monarchy, attempting to boost his own social power
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Velazquez (left) is painting another portrait within this painting: He could be painting the King and Queen of Spain
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In fact, the mirror shows the King and Queen of Spain → We ourselves could be the King and Queen of Spain and/or Velazquez could be painting the King and Queen of Spain
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Everyone is gazing at us (us = King/Queen of Spain) → Represents the power of King/Queen of Spain
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This is because Spain was among most powerful countries in the world at this time
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Sense of naturalism because of the loose brushstrokes (especially of the princess’s dress)
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In fact, we can see the palette of raw paint in Velazquez’s hand
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Shows that Velazquez is trying to create reality with loose brushstrokes → Represents an intimate scene of reality
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Velazquez is the royal painter and appears to have an informal relationship with the Spanish monarchy (due to the intimacy of the loose brushstrokes) → Appears that he has very high social status
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Represents Baroque era because it concerns human emotions and relations (like the gazes toward the Spanish King & Queen and the intimate relationships created by loose brushstrokes)
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Image 86: Henry IV Receives the Portrait of Marie de' Medici
Name
Henry IV Receives the Portrait of Marie de' Medici, from the Marie de' Medici Cycle
Arist
Peter Paul Rubens
Date
1621 - 1625 CE
Material
Oil on canvas
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Henry IV is awed by Marie de Medici’s beauty and is abandoning war in order to marry Marie for the nation of France
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Portrait of Marie de Medici in the center (King Henry IV’s wife) → Henry IV’s body (right side, in armor) is turned toward the painting in awe
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Represents French courtly manners
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His left hand is open: Sign of awe
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Cupid (god of love) and Hymen (god of marriage) are holding the image → Symbolize love
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Zeus and Hera are at the top of the painting → Show pagan references to the couple’s love
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A personification of France is behind Henry IV (the person in a blue tunic) → Shows that he is being pressured to marry Marie to make France happy
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At the bottom are two kids playing with a helmet (with a battlefield in the background, referencing war), and Henry IV doesn't look at them → Shows that Henry IV is abandoning war to love Marie
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Image 87: Self-Portrait with Saskia
Name
Self-Portrait with Saskia
Artist
Rembrandt van Rijn
Date
1636 CE
Material
Etching
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Showcases Rembrandt's mastery in etching, and showcases Rembrandt's dominance over his wife
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He married Saskia in 1634 → She died in 1642
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The only portrait of the two of them together → It appears that we have interrupted their intimate moment
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Shows that Rembrandt is dominating his wife
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Uses chiaroscuro (shadows): Rembrandt has darker shadows and looks more realistic & masculine than Saskia; Saskia appears more faint and unimportant
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He is much larger and dominating of Saskia, while Saskia is smaller and acts disinterested in Rembrandt
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Rembrandt dresses up as a historical figure (with his coat & hat) from the 16th century (this etching was made in 17th century) → He wants to portray himself as something different than he is (likely as a master etcher, which this painting represents)
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Image 92: Woman Holding a Balance
Name
Woman Holding a Balance
Artist
Johannes Vermeer
Date
c. 1664 CE
Material
Oil on canvas
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Signifies the need for a balance between material wealth and spirituality
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The woman holds a balance, and she has pearls (symbols of wealth) in front of her
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The image is dark, and the light from the window appears to illuminate her face → Signifies that she’s waiting for the balance to come to rest to see if she values materialism or spirituality more
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There is a mirror in front of her → Shows that she is more concerned about her appearance (metaphor for material wealth) than her spirituality
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In fact, there is a last judgement painting behind her, and she's ignoring it, which shows that she doesn't have much spirituality
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This painting has a balance of light and color (as the golden color from the curtain is reflected in the right side of the painting, the pearls, and part of her dress) → Represents the idea of balance
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It seems like her material wealth weighs more → Vermeer advocates for people to have more spirituality
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Represents the Northern Baroque as it seeks to promote a feeling of spirituality in normal everyday life (as this scene depicts an average woman doing daily tasks at home)
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Image 96: Fruit and Insects
Name
Fruit and Insects
Artist
Rachel Ruysch
Date
1711 CE
Material
Oil on wood
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Represents balance and harmony in the natural world & the slow and careful discovery of the natural world through a microscope
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The microscope is perfected at this time → This is a time in the late Scientific Revolution when Europeans were more interested in analyzing the natural world through a microscope (anatomy, botany, etc.)
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This image lights up certain elements in the center of the work to represent the idea of the natural world's discovery
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References fruits and vegetables harvested in Autumn (corn, squash, chestnuts, grapes, wheat, etc.)
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Wheat and grape could symbolize the Eucharist (bread and wine)
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Balance in the colors (between green and red) promotes the idea of the natural world's harmony
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Green: grapes (left side), leaves, and stems
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Red: grapes (right side) and apples
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Butterfly and lizard (bottom center) balance with the stillness of the fruits
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Image 93: The Palace at Versailles
Name
The Palace at Versailles
Artist
Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart (architects)
Date
Begin in 1669 CE
Material
Architecture: Masonry, stone, wood, iron, and gold leaf
Sculpture: Marble and Bronze
Gardens
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Exterior is largely classical → Alludes to the intellectual achievements of ancient Greece and Rome and how it continues in France → Intellectual superiority of France
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The building: Corinthian columns, simplicity, perfect geometry
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The garden: Simple design with perfect swirls
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This strict geometry hints at Louis XIV's strict rule & control
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Has Apollo fountain in the front ponds → References Louis XIV as "Sun King" since Apollo was God of the Sun
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Interior is very decorative and ornate (gold & marble) → Represents King Louis XIV’s wealth and power
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Represents his control over all of France and over all the nobles of France (since he invited the nobles to live there)
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Hall of Mirrors: One side has mirrors and the other has windows → Mirrors catch and reflect sunlight to showcase Louis XIV’s power as “Sun King”
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The palace had an axial alignment so that he can see the sunrise when he wakes up
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Baroque imagery is all this complex and curvy decoration → Emphasizes Louis XIV’s power
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Early Colonial American Art
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The Spanish harmonized Indigenous American culture with that of their own while depicting themselves as more powerful to encourage the Indigenous Americans to adopt Christianity and acknowledge Spanish rule in the Americas
Image 81: Frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza
Name
Frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza
Culture
Viceroyalty of New Spain
Date
c. 1541 - 1542 CE
Material
Ink and color on paper
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Describes the Aztec civilization and emphasizes their power and characteristics
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Showcases parts of Tenochtitlan (their capital)
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The center is an eagle growing out of a prickly pear cactus → Alludes to the creation myth of Tenochtitlan (which is also on the Mexican flag)
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The city is divided into four parts, to represent the 4 cardinal directions or the cosmos
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There are diagonal canals dividing it into 4 parts
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There are other symbols around the eagle:
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Below: A war shield: The Aztecs had to use miltary force to settle in Tenochtitlan
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Right: Skull rack: found in Templo Mayor
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Top: Small house: Early phase of Templo Mayor
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Corners of the city: Maize and other plants: Allude to the region’s fertility
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There are 10 men in the 4 quadrants
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Each is attached to an object that signifies his status
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The dark-skinned man to the eagle’s left is attached to a cactus → Has high status, likely a priest
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The paper is surrounded by 51 year glyphs (representing years)
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The year 3rd from right on the bottom row has a fire drill attached to it → This is end of a 52-year cycle
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To celebrate, fire was drilled into the body of a sacrificial victim, and fire was also distributed to all the people to light their homes
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Bottom has 2 scenes of military conquest → Show Aztec superiority
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Hierarchical scale: Aztecs are much larger than their opponents
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Aztecs have advanced shields & obsidian weapons
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Aztecs have defeated the people of Colhuacan and Tenoyucan and are burning their temples (right above the conquest scene)
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Image 90: Angel with Arquebus, Asiel Timor Dei
Name
Angel with Arquebus, Asiel Timor Dei
Artist
Master of Calamarca (La Paz School)
Date
c. 17th Century CE
Material
Oil on canvas
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Represents the power of the Spanish military & aristocracy and uses local Andean traditions to encourage the Native South Americans to convert to Christianity
- Shows an angel holding a harquebus, a type of Spanish firearm introduced to the New World
- The title Asiel Timor Dei means Asiel (the name of the Angel) fears God, encouraging the natives to convert to Christianity and abandon their native gods
- The gun intimidated the locals → Taught them that the Spanish are superior and encouraged them to convert to Christianity
- The clothing has lots of gold and silver, which was reserved for the military → Represents the power of the Spanish military
- The clothing is a syncretism of European and Native traditions → Meant to create an image of a syncretic harquebus holder to appeal to the natives to convert to Christianity and accept Spanish dominance
- The heavy overcoat is native
- The elongated tall hat is for Incan nobility, and the feathers of the hat were reserved for nobles in indigenous religious ceremonies
- The front part of the hat (the short brim) was common in France → European influence
- Shows an angel holding a harquebus, a type of Spanish firearm introduced to the New World
Image 94: Screen with the Siege of Belgrade and Hunting Scene
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Name
Screen with the Siege of Belgrade and hunting scene
Arist
Circle of the González Family
Date
c. 1697 - 1701 CE
Material
Tempera an resin on wood, shell inlay
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Siege of Belgrade: Depicts the power of the Spanish (and their dominance in global trade) by showing the Habsburg victory over the Ottomans in the Battle of Belgrade (1688)
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This is a Japanese folding screen (craze for Japanese goods came as Spain controlled trade with Manila and drew Japanese influence)
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Represents Spanish dominance in global trade as Spanish silver allowed it to gain so many luxury goods from East Asia
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Owned by viceroy, placed in his reception hall → Meant to showcase the power of the Spanish because it shows a Habsburg victory
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Spain was once part of Habsburg domain
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Hunting Scene: Depicts a more peaceful hunting scene → Hints at the wealth and power of the Spanish
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Very dense landscape → More wealth
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Has some classical elements, especially as the ornamental decorations at the top are held by lions’ mouths (part of Renaissance from Ancient Rome)
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Meant for a female audience, especially viceroy’s wife (who was an Aztec woman, a descendant of Moctezuma)
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Image 95: The Virgin of Guadalupe (Virgen de Guadalupe)
Name
The Virgin of Guadalupe (Virgen de Guadalupe)
Location
Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City
Artist
Miguel Gonzalez
Date
c. 1698 CE
Material
Oil on canvas on wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl
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Syncretizes Christianity with Indigenous Mexican culture → Encourages Mexicans to abandon their indigenous religions to convert to Christianity
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Virgin of Guadalupe was a figure that appeared to Juan Diego on a sacred hill → Became a symbol of Mexican identity
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Represents the Woman of the Apocalypse (Book of Revelation) who was shrouded in the sun and had stars around her head → Using a Christian allusion to promote Christianity
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Darker skin symbolizes indigenous heritage → Encourages Mexicans to convert to Christianity
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Angels around her allude to her spiritual power in converting the Mexicans to Christianity
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The inlaid shells (known as enconchado) reflect light, and when we move around, the reflection patterns change → Creates a shining image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which emphasizes her spirituality
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Image 97: Spaniard and Indian Produce a Mestizo
Name
Spaniard and Indian Produce a Mestizo
Artist
Attributed to Juan Rodríguez Juárez
Date
c. 1715 CE
Material
Oil on canvas
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Reflects the increasing social anxieties due to more interbreeding and mixing of Europeans and indigenous peoples to create mestizos
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Part of a genre of paintings called pinturas de castas (caste paintings)
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Depicted the number and type of ethnic mixing → This gets more complex (and more derogatory → more anxiety) as you go down more generations
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Here, the man is European and the woman is indigenous, and both are from the upper classes
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The man wears French-style clothing and the woman wears a huipil (traditional Mexican garment) and lots of jewelry
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The family appears calm, but as more ethnic interbreeding occurs, the family may be less calm → This image is likely meant to calm the anxieties of caste interbreeding
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