Virgin And Child, Cuzco School, 18th Century

We present to you this oil painting on canvas from the end of the 18th century depicting the Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus in her arms. The painting follows the style of the Cusco School (Escuela cuzqueña) - a Roman Catholic artistic tradition based in the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco in Peru, during the Coloni period, in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. It was not limited to Cuzco, but spread to other cities in the Andes, as well as to present-day Ecuador and Bolivia. The Cuzco style, believed to have been created by Quechua painter Diego Quispe Tito, is known for its religious themes, lack of perspective, and bright colors, such as red, yellow, and earth tones , often enhanced with gold leaf. Influenced by Byzantine, Flemish, and Italian Renaissance art, Cusco painters depicted dramatic and distorted images, often incorporating local flora and fauna. Warrior angels were a popular topic. Most of the works were created anonymously due to community artistic traditions, although notable artists have been Marcos Zapata, Diego Cusihuamán, Gregorio Gamarra, Basilio Santa Cruz Pumacallao and Antonio Sinchi Roca Inka. The Master of Calamarca, active in Bolivia in the 18th century, is linked to this school. Please note some minor losses and structural damage due to its advanced age. Three restoration patches are visible on the reverse. The framing is later and the wooden framing is also later.