Cusco Painting [English]
The famous colonial Cusco School of Painting, is characterized by its originality and high artistic value, which can be seen as a result of the confluence of two powerful currents: the Western artistic tradition on the one hand, and the desire Indians and mestizos painters to express their reality and their world view, on the other.
The Spanish contribution, and in general European Cuzco School painting, is given from very early times, when it starts building the great cathedral of Cusco. Is the arrival of the Italian painter Bernardo Bitti in 1583.
Cuzco school corresponds to the late seventeenth century and much of the century. The great proponent of the Cusco School was the bishop Manuel de Mollinedo y Angulo, who arrived in 1673.
His work was the reconstruction of churches damaged by the earthquake of 1650, with this in mind he command to made the total redecoration of the Cathedral.
Most of the Cusco School paintings were created anonymously because of the pre-Columbian traditions that define the art community.
The Indian teacher
Diego Quispe Tito (1611 – 1681) .- He came from a noble family native, established in the district of San Sebastián. He painted the series of the Zodiac (1681) for the cathedral of Cusco, but only eight have survived, possibly because the artist died before completing his work.
The church of San Sebastian, retains most of the production of Quispe Tito, grouped into four major cycles: Life of San Juan Bautista, The Passion, The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian and the doctors of the Church. In 1675, already famous and sought after, carried out on behalf of the Franciscans the great canvas of the late, known as The Last Judgement.
Source: www.buenastareas.com, www.peruroutes.com, guiadelcusco.perucultural.org.pe
