Mexican school; 18th century. "Immaculate Conception". Watercolour and gold leaf. Size: 26 x 19 cm; 41 x 33 cm (frame). Representation of the Immaculate Conception in which stylistically, the proportions of her anatomy, her face and the polychromy place the work within the 18th century, already with a clear influence of Neoclassicism, but still maintaining certain, but slight, characteristics of the Baroque such as the aesthetic treatment of the background that composes the image, and the material in which it is made. This mixture of influences was common at the time, but normally, as in this case, artists tended to lean towards one of two main trends: either to maintain the tradition, or to embrace the novelties that came from Europe and radiated from centres such as the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid, or the Academy of Rome. It is worth mentioning that, during Spanish colonial rule, mainly religious painting was developed, aimed at Christianising the indigenous peoples. Local painters were modelled on Spanish works, which they followed literally in terms of type and iconography. The most frequent models were harquebusier angels and triangular virgins; however, in the early years of the 19th century, at the time of independence and political openness in some of the colonies, several artists began to depict a new model of painting with its own identity.