Cristobal de Villalpando, "Virgen de la Soledad" (1690), San Pedro Museo de Arte
This past week I went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art (a fantastic collection I may add) to see their newest exhibition, Sacred Spain. Covering a time period from the 14th C. to the 19th C. and spanning across the Atlantic from Spain to the former New World colonies in Central & South America, the variety of styles and media in the exhibit really amazes. The idea of Spanish Catholic art brings to my mind images of the Inquisition and the dark visions of Velazquez & El Greco (whose works are included).
But with the inclusion of art created in this half of the world, this exhibit really shows how the inclusion of colonial style and motifs augmented the beauty and meaning of Spanish art. The painting to the left, from Mexico, is a perfect combination of the Old and New World styles. At first glance it has a very colonial look to it. The framing of Mary and the position in which she stands reminds one of the many paintings from Mexico of Our Lady of Guadalupe. However, with a closer look we notice the two vases of flowers flanking it as if we are looking at European still lifes, detailed down to the reflection in the glass itself.
This free exhibition runs through January 3rd, 2010 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
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