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

Novo-Hispanic school; second half of the XVIII century.
"Saint Joseph Child".
Oil on copper.
It has frame of the nineteenth century.
Signed.
Measurements: 42 x 32,5 cm; 54 x 43 cm (frame).
Executed in oil on copper, the piece reveals a meticulous and precious workmanship. The metallic support, usual in works of small format destined to private devotion, allows a smooth surface that favors the polished finish, the chromatic intensity and the precision in the details. In this context, the image of St. Joseph with the Child Jesus usually emphasizes the affective bond between father and son, highlighting the tenderness of the gestures and the delicacy of the gaze, features typical of eighteenth-century spirituality.In comparison with the known models of Manuel de Serna, the composition shares several characteristic elements: the softness of the faces, with rounded features and serene expression; the careful treatment of the draperies, with wide and well-defined folds; and the use of a warm palette, enriched with luminous touches that add depth and elegance.
The Novo-Hispanic School of the 18th century was distinguished by its ability to assimilate European influences, mainly Spanish and Italian, and adapt them to a deeply devotional local context. During this period, a painting of great technical quality was consolidated, marked by detail, chromatic richness and a strong emotional charge in religious representations. The circulation of European engravings, together with the academic and guild training of artists in New Spain, favored stylistic homogeneity and the diffusion of widely recognizable iconographic models.
For his part, Manuel de Serna was one of the painters active in the second half of the 18th century within this artistic field. His production is characterized by balanced compositions, figures of gentle expression and a neat execution, especially appreciable in small format works on copper. His style reflects the transition from the late Baroque towards clearer and more orderly formulas, anticipating certain academicist tendencies that would take hold at the end of the century.