Novo-Hispanic school; second half of the 18th century.

Novo-Hispanic school; second half of the XVIII century.
"Virgin of Guadalupe".
Ink on canvas.
With silver frame.
Measurements: 8.5 x 6 cm; 12 x 9 cm (frame).
This singular representation of the Virgin of Guadalupe, executed in ink on canvas, constitutes an eloquent testimony of the expansion and rooting of the cult of Guadalupe in New Spain during the second half of the 18th century. The choice of a graphic procedure on textile support reveals its probable devotional and portable function, destined for private contemplation or small spaces of domestic prayer. The image responds faithfully to the iconographic model consolidated since the 17th century: the Virgin appears standing, with her hands together in a prayerful attitude and her head slightly inclined to her right, a gesture that underlines her humility and recollection. She wears a tunic decorated with floral motifs and a starry mantle, while a nimbus of rays envelops her, evoking the apocalyptic vision of the "woman clothed with the sun". Under her feet is a crescent moon supported by an angel, an element that reinforces her identification with the Immaculate Conception and her triumph over evil.
The linear technique, based on a meticulous drawing of firm strokes and shaded by means of fine parallel and crossed lines, evidences the influence of European printmaking in the production of Novohispanic art. During the viceregal period, engravings imported from Spain and other European centers served as compositional and formal models for local painters and draftsmen, who reinterpreted them in different media and scales. In this work, the predominance of graphic chiaroscuro confers volume to the figures and highlights the ornamental delicacy of the dress and mantle, achieving an image of remarkable elegance despite the chromatic economy.The feigned frame with lateral curtains adds a scenographic character to the representation, integrating the sacred figure in a symbolic space that refers both to the altarpiece and to baroque theatricality. This resource, frequent in Novo-Hispanic art, emphasizes the sacredness of the image and its condition of epiphany.