WHAT ARE NEW SPANISH ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS? - ART - 2024

The artistic expressions of New Spain are those that occurred in the viceroyalty of New Spain (1535 - early nineteenth century), when much of the territory of Central and South America was under the rule of the Spanish Empire.

The Spanish conquest was evidenced at all levels of the culture of the American colonies. In this way, also the artistic expressions of this period show the influence of the European nation.

In this sense, the idea of ​​art that was transmitted to the colonies related the creation of images and the ornamental purpose to the Catholic Church. Thus, many of the artistic expressions of New Spain are of a religious nature.

This reveals that in the American colonies the Church not only held moral power, but also sneaked into the life of the entire population by being present in the visual arts of this region.

The Baroque was the predominant artistic movement in the viceroyalty of New Spain. In general terms, Baroque art was characterized by being ornate and exuberant.

In this period, different artistic expressions were worked, highlighting painting, architecture, writing and polychrome sculpture (of various colors).

The sculpture

In sculpture, the use of polychrome (which means several colors) dominated. The works in this area demonstrate a display of techniques that were intended to increase the expressiveness of the works.

Contrast and the use of colors are two of the main characteristics of New Spain's Baroque sculpture.

The architecture

Regarding architecture, in the viceroyalty of New Spain two architectural styles stood out. The first was the Solomonic, which occurred in the middle of the seventeenth century. The second was the stipe, which occurred in the mid-18th century.

The painting

In terms of painting, the Baroque artists were very prolific. Some of the most prominent painters were Juan Correa, Miguel Cabrera and Cristóbal de Villalpando.

Many of the works from this period are preserved in various museums, including the Museo del Virreinato in Tepotzotlán, the Carmen Museum in San Ángel, the Santa Mónica Museum in Puebla, and the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City. Its main exponents were:

Juan Correa

He was born in 1646 and died in 1716. In his paintings, he dealt with religious themes, the Virgin Mary and her invocations being the subjects he most frequently represented.

One of his most outstanding works is the Assumption of the Virgin, which is preserved in the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City. Most of her work was painted between 1670 and 1716.

Miguel Cabrera

He was born in 1695 and died in 1768. His work focused on religious themes, especially the representation of the Virgin Mary and some saints. His paintings were requested by commissions to decorate convents, churches, palaces and houses of noble families.

Christopher Villalpandio

He was born in 1649 and died in 1714. Villalpando was one of the most outstanding painters during the seventeenth century. As with Cabrera's works, Villalpando's paintings were requested to adorn the churches.

The most outstanding works of Villalpandio are contained in the "collection of triumph", which was intended to adorn the walls of the sacristy of the church in Mexico City.

The works belonging to this collection are: The Triumph of the Catholic Church, The Triumph of Saint Peter, The Victory of Saint Michael and The Appearance of Saint Michael on Mount Gargano.

The collection was supposed to have been made up of six works. However, Villalpandio could not finish it and it was Juan Correa who was in charge of continuing with this work.

Other of his works are in the Church of Profesa, in Mexico City, in the Cathedral of Puebla and in the Chapel of the Kings.

Literature

Baroque New Spain literature was enriched by the work of multiple writers and poets, among which Gutierre de Cetina, Juan Ruíz Alarcón y Mendoza and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz stand out.

Gutierre de Cetina

He was born in 1520 and died in 1557. De Cetina was born in Spain but moved to the viceroyalty of New Spain (where he died). He wrote songs, sonnets and poems dedicated to royal families and women who marked his life.

Juan Ruíz Alarcón and Mendoza

He was born in 1581 and died in 1639. Unlike Guerre de Cetina, Alarcón y Mendoza was born in New Spain, in Taxco.

This writer was famous for his dramas, among which are La Verdad Suspechosa (a comedy), La Cueva de Salamanca and Like Himself.

In 1606, he traveled to Spain, Seville, where he came into contact with Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, who was to influence some of his works (such as La Cueva de Salamanca).

Other of his works are Las Paredes Oyes, Los Pechos Privilegiados, La Amistad Punished and The Owner of the Stars.

Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz

She was born in 1651 and died in 1695. From a young age she showed an interest in literature but, being a woman, she could not attend university. For this reason, she was ordained in the Carmelites and later transferred to the Jerónimas.

His writings show accusations against men, defending women from the mistreatment they received because of it. Her work is loaded with feminist messages.

Fragment of "Foolish Men"

Foolish men you accuse

to the woman without reason, without seeing that you are the occasion

of the same that you blame;

yes with unequaled eagerness

you request their disdain, Why do you want them to do well

if you incite them to evil?

You fight their resistance

and then with gravity

you say it was lightness

what the stagecoach did.

(…)

Give your lovers sorrows

to your freedom wings, and after making them bad

you want to find them very good.

What is the greatest fault

in a wrong passion, the one that falls by request

or the one who begs to be fallen?

Or what's more to blame

even if any evil does:

the one who sins for the pay

or the one who pays to sin?

(…)

References

1. New Spanish Baroque. Retrieved on August 3, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org.
2. Arts of the Spanish Americas (1550-1850). Retrieved on August 3, 2017, from metmuseum.org.
3. Spanish Colonial Architecture. Retrieved on August 3, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org.
4. Painting in a New World. Mexican Art and Life, 1521-1821. Retrieved on August 3, 2017, from books.google.com.
5. Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz. Retrieved on August 3, 2017, from en.wikipedia.org.
6. Art and Architecture of New Spain. Retrieved on August 3, 2017, from oxfordbibliographies.com.
7. Spanish Colonial Art. Retrieved on August 3, 2017, from collections.lacma.org.