Our Lady of Guápulo

Peruvian (Cuzco) Painter|Peruvian Painter

18th century · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

The richly dressed and adorned sculpture depicted in this work originated as a copy of the Spanish Virgin of Guadalupe, commissioned in 1584 by a confraternity of merchants in Quito (Ecuador). Named for the sanctuary in nearby Guápulo where the miracle-working image was venerated, it was invoked by devotees who sought the Virgin Mary’s aid and protection. During last quarter of the 17th century, a painted copy of the sculpture was carried throughout the Andes on a mission to gather alms for the construction of a new sanctuary, resulting in a demand for locally produced copies like this one by a Cuzco painter.

Artist

Peruvian (Cuzco) Painter|Peruvian Painter

Date

18th century

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

Peruvian

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Loretta Hines Howard, 1964