Cuzco School; XVIII century.

Cuzco School; XVIII century.
"Christ carrying the cross".
Oil on copper.
Measurements: 11.5 x 9 cm; 17 x 14.5 cm (frame).
This representation of Christ carrying the cross is inscribed in the pictorial tradition of the Cuzco school of the XVIII century, one of the most singular focuses of the Andean viceroyalty art. The image presents Christ from the front, in a direct approach that challenges the viewer and reinforces the devotional character of the scene. His intense gaze and half-open mouth accentuate the drama of the moment, capturing the moment of effort and suffering on the road to Calvary.
The clothing is enriched with meticulously applied gilded details, a characteristic resource of Cuzco painting, where the use of gold leaf and estofados gives the figure a sumptuous and symbolic dimension. The nimbus is also decorated with golden glitter, underlining the divine nature of Christ even in the trance of martyrdom. The blood that flows from the crown of thorns and runs down the face introduces an accent of intense expressiveness, balanced by the hieratic frontality of the composition.
The Cuzco School was one of the most singular expressions of Andean Viceroyalty art. Active in Cuzco and its region during the 18th century, it integrated the European pictorial tradition with indigenous sensibilities and contributions, generating its own language within the American Baroque.
It was characterized by the frontality of the figures, the intense devotional charge and the abundant use of gilding in vestments, haloes and backgrounds. The bright colors and ornamental details reinforce its symbolic and catechetical character. Their iconographies, suffering Christs, triumphant Virgins and archangels, consolidate a powerful visuality that translates Christianity in Andean keys, affirming an autonomous artistic identity within the viceregal world.