For Restoration Cuzco School 18th Century Oil - Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Description

A charming 18th-century Cuzco School depiction of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. She is portrayed holding a quill, symbolising her scholarly defence of Christianity, and dressed in rich red garments, representing both her noble status and martyrdom. Unsigned. This artwork requires restoration – please see the condition report for full details. On canvas on stretchers.

Condition

For restoration. Losses to the paint layer throughout, particularly to the lower margin. Loss to the upper right of the canvas. Thinning to the canvas. Tears to the upper left and centre right. Slight impression to the canvas caused by the stretchers.

Size

61 x 40cm (24.0" x 15.7")

Collection Information

The Cuzco School of Art, or Escuela Cuzqueña, emerged in colonial Peru during the 16th and 17th 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 Cusco, most works were later created by anonymous Indigenous and mestizo artists who adapted the style to reflect their cultural identity.

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