Artist: Miguel Gonzalez Date: 1698 CE Dimensions: 39 x 27 1/2 in. Medium: Oil on canvas on wood inlayed with mother of pearl Classification: Paintings Location: Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City
We just added an image of the famous Virgin of Guadalupe to our exhibit. This pice is inlayed with mother of pearl in a technique called enconchado. The mother of pearl gives the figure an otherworldly look. This technique became popular in Mexico due to an influx of Asian goods to Mexico at this time. The piece depicts the virgin placed on top of an eagle perched on a cactus, Mexico City's coat of arms. This was because the Virgin of Guadalupe became increasingly linked with a sense of local identity. This "Aztecified" christian icon combined Catholic and Native characteristics in order to convince natives to convert to Catholicism. This image made natives comfortable with Catholicism. This piece relates to Religion and Power in that by slightly altering the image of the Virgin Mary, the Colonists gained power over the natives and paved the way for massive conversion of Mexicans to the Catholic faith.