Peruvian school; XVII century.

Peruvian school; XVII century.
"Our Lady of Cocharcas".
Oil on canvas.
It conserves frame of epoch.
Measurements: 15,5 x 13 cm; 23,5 x 20,5 cm (frame).
This representation of Our Lady of Cocharcas is inscribed in the scope of the Peruvian school of the XVII century, moment of consolidation of the viceroyal pictorial language. Linked to one of the most widespread Marian advocations of the Andean south, originated in the sanctuary of Cocharcas, in Apurimac, the image articulates local devotion and counter-reformist imaginary, integrating European models with a spatial and symbolic sensibility typical of the Peruvian territory.
The Virgin appears from the front, standing on a lunar crescent, an attribute that refers to the iconography of the Immaculate Conception according to the apocalyptic vision. Her figure, monumental and static, dominates a barely perceptible landscape, reduced to a lower band that suggests the natural environment without competing with the hieratic presence of Mary. On both sides, half-open clouds reveal idealized architectures, a frequent resource in viceregal painting to evoke the celestial dimension and, at the same time, allude to sanctuaries or cities under her protection.
Stylistically, the work shows characteristic features of the Peruvian school: compositional frontality, emphasis on symmetry, delicate treatment of the face and meticulous attention to textile ornamentation. The pictorial surface privileges devotional clarity over spatial depth, reinforcing its function as a cult image.