Viceroyal novo-Hispanic school, second half of the XVIII century.

Viceroyal novo-Hispanic school; second half of the XVIII century.
"Virgin" and "Saint Joseph".
Carved and polychrome wood.
Presents faults.
Measurements: 59 x 22 x 19 cm (x2).
Carved in wood and richly polychromed, the figures are a refined example of the devotional imagery produced in the workshops of New Spain during the late Baroque period, when the sculptural tradition inherited from Hispanic models, particularly Andalusian and Castilian, reached a remarkable technical and aesthetic maturity when integrated with local sensibilities. Both images show a careful work of carving and a polychromy of great chromatic and ornamental richness, characterized by the use of abundant gilding, meticulous estofados and delicate vegetal motifs that run through the vestments. This treatment responds to a widespread practice in 18th century Novo-Hispanic sculpture, where the pictorial surface becomes a fundamental element to intensify the visual effect and the symbolic dimension of the sacred images.
The figures are placed on equally decorated polygonal bases, which reinforces their conception as a complementary sculptural group destined for a joint reading within a domestic devotional context or in a small altarpiece. Saint Joseph is depicted as a mature, bearded man, holding the flowering rod, the traditional symbol of his divine election as Mary's husband, and adopting a serene and didactic attitude, with the gesture of his hand open towards the spectator. The Virgin, for her part, is shown in a recollected attitude, with her hands joined in prayer, embodying the ideal of purity and contemplation typical of the Marian iconography of the period. This gesture added to the sweetness of the faces, with softly idealized features and restrained expression, reveals the search for an affective spirituality characteristic of late Baroque religiosity.
From the stylistic point of view, the sculptures show features typical of the late novo-Hispanic imagery, where the baroque tradition was kept alive. The quality of the estofado stands out, with golden motifs on green, blue and reddish backgrounds that suggest rich brocade fabrics, as well as the careful modeling of the folds, which fall with a slow rhythm. These features are evidence of the expertise of the workshop that produced them, capable of combining sculptural skill with a sophisticated pictorial treatment.
The technical quality and iconographic coherence suggest the production of a workshop specialized in devotional sculpture, probably active in one of the main artistic centers of the viceroyalty, such as Puebla or Mexico City, where an intense artisanal activity flourished, linked to both religious institutions and private commissions.