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

Novo-Hispanic school; second half of the XVIII century.
"St. Michael the Archangel with the Virgin of Guadalupe".
Oil on canvas.
Measurements: 22 x 15 cm.
This representation of St. Michael the Archangel is part of the most widespread repertoire of the eighteenth-century Novo-Hispanic painting, where the image of the prince of the heavenly militias reached an extraordinary popularity. In the context of the viceroyalty of New Spain, his figure embodied the victory of good over evil and the defense of the Church, becoming one of the most recurrent iconographic models both in conventual and domestic environments.
The composition presents the archangel in triumphant attitude, with flaming sword, symbol of divine justice and the dragon or demon to his right, according to the apocalyptic tradition. To the left is the female figure identified as the princess, an allusion to the medieval legend in which Saint Michael frees the maiden from the power of the evil one, reinforcing his character of protector. In the lower area there is a legend that calls him "Guardian Angel", extending his protective dimension to the individual and daily life of the faithful.
The shield carried by the archangel, in which the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe is represented, is particularly unique. This detail establishes a visual dialogue between two of the most popular and deeply rooted iconographies of the Novo-Hispanic world: Saint Michael as celestial defender and the Virgin of Guadalupe as identity and spiritual emblem of New Spain. The inclusion of Guadalupe is not merely decorative, but programmatic: it affirms Marian protection over the territory and links the cosmic struggle against evil with Creole devotion.
The formal treatment of brilliant chromatism and taste for ornamental details responds to the late novo-Hispanic baroque, where theatricality is balanced with a clear catechetical function. The work synthesizes devotion, identity and visual pedagogy in an image of strong popular roots and deep symbolic meaning.