AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

Historical objects are key to understanding the context that led to their creation – cultural, social, and technological. The growing interest in studying overlooked collections has aided in shedding light on certain periods and places, such as the transition from New Spain to (independent) Mexico. This is the case of a painting donated in 2022 to the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, an institution known for their American decorative arts collection. Originally referred to as a “Mexican Retablo”, the object depicts 10 figures commonly associated to the Catholic religion. This term was used despite lacking provenance, bibliographic information, or a thorough description.

Our interest in this work is multifaceted, both professionally, and personally. The objectives were (1) giving a more informed attribution and significance; and (2) adding technical information on Mexican artists, outside those once endorsed by the Spanish Monarchy. Being Spanish the native language of most authors, who in addition were raised into Catholic traditions in a predominantly Catholic country played a central role in this study. For example, it was possible to rapidly identify most of the religious figures portrayed, later confirmed through iconographic cross-referencing. As well, we realized that it was incorrectly described as a “retablo” but instead it was a “devocionario”. Devocionarios are painted collections of Catholic icons that emulate retablos, which are comprised of both sculptures and paintings. In addition, as Spanish speakers, we could access primary sources, catalogs, and existing published studies in this language. Instrumental analyses included X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman, and fiber optic reflectance (FORS) spectroscopies; cross-section polarized light (PLM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with elemental mapping (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, EDS). This technical examination revealed the work’s relative simplicity (e.g., no preparatory drawing), and limited pigment palette (e.g., white lead, ochres, etc.). of particular interest was the presence of arsenic and sulfur suggesting orpiment, a pigment traditionally used in Mexico. This study contributes to the limited knowledge of painting traditions in present-day Latin America, as it evolved from being of European influence to finding its own identity by incorporating local materials and practices and owning its iconographic style.