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Abstract:

The Cuzco School as an artistic phenomenon stands out in the history of colonial painting in Latin America. It arose on the lands of the Inca Empire, which roughly coincided with the territory of the modern Andean countries. Some features of pre-Columbian art can be traced in the art of the Viceroyalty of Peru, such as the abundance of gold ornamentation on canvases, the static nature of the characters and the monumental nature of the images. The painting also embodies elements of the world that surrounded local artists: flora and fauna, traditional clothing, etc. Of great importance for the development of the Cuzco School were pieces brought from Europe, primarily engravings, but also paintings that came to the New World. The work of artists who arrived from the Old World also had a great influence on local masters. The defining factor in the formation of the character of this painting was the task of Christianizing the Indians, since works of art were considered primarily as objects for prayer, as illustrations to sacred texts and a tool for missionary activity. The originality of this painting was also manifested in the choice of subjects, reflecting the veneration of local saints and images of the Virgin Mary. Having existed for almost three centuries, the Cuzco School became a vivid embodiment of popular Catholicism, noticeably influencing the spiritual atmosphere of Latin America to this day.