Cuzco School Early 20th Century Oil - Archangel Gabriel

Description

An early 20th century Cuzco School portrait of the Archangel Gabriel dressed in the elaborate court costume of seventeenth- to eighteenth-century Spanish colonial nobility. The archangel carries a firearm (arquebus) resting upon his shoulder, with wings visible behind. The artist has captured in great detail deep blue fabric adorned with lavish gold brocade embroidery, a wide lace collar (golilla), puffed sleeves, knee breeches, and white stockings with ribbon garters. His hat is adorned with flowers. The painting is well presented in a dark wood frame with an egg-and-dart moulding. Unsigned. On canvas laid to board.

Condition

Signs of wear consistent with age. Light abrasions to the perimeter of the canvas. The moulded frame is in very good condition.

Size

40 x 29.5cm (15.7" x 11.6")
Framed Size: 46 x 36cm (18.1" x 14.2")

Collection Information

The Cuzco School of Art, or Escuela Cuzqueña, emerged in colonial Peru during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries as a distinctive artistic tradition blending European and Indigenous influences. Centred in the city of Cuzco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, the style was established by Spanish colonisers and Catholic missionaries, spreading European painting techniques to Indigenous and mestizo artists. While the art often depicted religious themes in line with Catholic teachings, it also featured local elements, such as native flora, fauna, and Andean symbolism. The style was not limited to Cuzco and spread to other locations in the Andes, as well as modern-day Ecuador and Bolivia. While European artists initially taught in Cuzco, most works were later created by anonymous Indigenous and mestizo artists who adapted the style to reflect their cultural identity.

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