CUZQUEÑA SCHOOL 18th century Virgin of the Candelaria of Copacabana with donor Oil on canvas Measurements 95 x 76.5 cm The Virgin of the Candelaria of Copacabana or Virgin Copacabana is a Marian dedication originating from Lake Titicaca and popularized through prints and paintings by the Peruvian viceroyalty during the 17th century. Tradition indicates that Francisco Tito Yupanqui is the first to capture it in sculpture and to do so he took the Virgin of Candelaria as a model. This work reproduces a very popular theme from the Cuzco school, the Virgin of triangular typology, named for the shape of her cloak. In Peruvian viceregal painting it is very common to find these “trompe l'oeils of the divine”, where no attempt is made to paint the Virgin and Child in a humanized way. The objective is to pictorially reproduce the sculptures of local Virgins such as Copacabana, Cocharcas or Pomata, usually accompanied by a donor or saint. In it we find the Virgin on an altar full of colorful flowers, crowned, wearing a mantle richly decorated with triple chains of pearls, precious stones, flowers, bows and lace, carrying with her right hand a candle in the shape of " Z” (very common in Cusco representations), which alludes to the Purification passage, the presentation in the temple and especially to the concept of Jesus as the light of the world. Likewise, with his left arm he holds the Child Jesus who holds the globe of the world with his left hand, while he blesses with his right hand. The composition is completed with two typically baroque red curtains and the figure of a bishop venerating the image. Bibliography: - Pedro Querejazu Leyton, "Local Marian iconographies and the painting of images during the 18th century in the Audiencia of Charcas," in Proceedings III International Congress of American Baroque: territory, art, space and society, Almansa Moreno, José Manuel (eds.), Pablo de Olavide University, 2001. - Isabel Cruz de Amenábar, Vírgenes Sur Andinas: María, territory and protection. Viceregal painting 17th-19th centuries. Joaquín Gandarillas Infante Collection, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, 2014. - Pérez Sánchez, Alfonso. “Trompe l'oeil "to the divine"”, Readings in Art History, nº3. Vitoria, Spain: Municipal Institute of Iconographic Studies Ephialte of the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council, 1992.