The Marvelous Enconchado Paintings from New Spain by the Painters González in the Seventeenth and Eighteen Centuries
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Number 1 The Marvelous Enconchado Paintings from New Spain Publisher Jaime Eguiguren Project Director Jaime Eguiguren Authors Alejandro de Antuñano Maurer and Nuria Lázaro Milla Translation Laura Beratti THE Floriana Beneditto MARVELOUS Design and Layout Laura Eguiluz de la Rica ENCONCHADO Photography PAINTINGS Joaquín Cortés Noriega Román Lores Riesgo FROM Printing & Binding Artes Gráficas Palermo NEW SPAIN Special thanks Juan Ybarra Mendaro Rodrigo Rivero Lake Enrique Rivero Lake Adelina Illián Gutierrez Rafael Romero Asenjo Ángel Cebader Jesús Cebader Michel Zabé Thiriat Alejandro de Antuñano Maurer Nuria Lázaro Milla ISBN: 978-84-697-6146-5 © 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any storage and retrieval system, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher. THE MARVELOUS ENCONCHADO PAINTINGS FROM NEW SPAIN FOREWORD The pair of paintings entitled The Virgin of Guadalupeand St John the Baptist, together with the Jewelry Chest, are living artistic expressions from the Americas at the time of the Viceroyalty. These wonderful pieces were crafted with the incredible technique called enconchado, that is, mother-of-pearl inlay on panel, used with great mastery and imagination by Mexican artists Juan and Miguel González as the leading exponents. This unique manifestation from New Spain combines European and Asian styles, imbuing them with a strong American character. These works, which have remained unpublished until today, are a major contribution to Spanish American art, and this publication is the first of a series of studies of the captivating, magical art executed in the Americas during the Viceroyalty. The research and cataloging work was undertaken by scholars Nuria Lázaro Milla and Alejandro Antuñano Maurer, whose superb know- how allowed them to unveil for us the late seventeenth-century Mexico and to locate these treasures within the historical context of that fascinating world. Jaime Eguiguren THE MARVELOUS ENCONCHADO PAINTINGS FROM NEW SPAIN CONTENTS 12 THE MARVELOUS ENCONCHADO PAINTINGS FROM NEW SPAIN BY THE PAINTERS GONZÁLEZ IN THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEEN CENTURIES 13 The artists named González 43 The technique of enconchado paintings in New Spain 50 JEWELRY CHEST PAINTED BY MIGUEL OR JUAN GONZÁLEZ (ATTRIBUTED). VICEROYALTY OF NEW SPAIN (MEXICO), LATE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 70 Attribution hypothesis 10 THE MARVELOUS ENCONCHADO PAINTINGS FROM NEW SPAIN 11 The marvelous enconchado paintings from New Spain by the painters González in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Alejandro de Antuñano Maurer 12 THE MARVELOUS ENCONCHADO PAINTINGS FROM NEW SPAIN 13 Alejandro de Antuñano Maurer Juan or Miguel Gonzalez (attributed) Mexico, 17th century Virgin of Guadalupe Enconchado, oil and mother of-pearl inlay on panel 26,5 x 35 cm. Frame: 45 x 53 cm Juan or Miguel Gonzalez (attributed) Mexico, 17th century St. John the Baptist Enconchado, oil and mother of-pearl inlay on panel 26,5 x 35 cm. Frame: 45 x 53 cm The artists named González In 1756, the remarkable Oaxacan painter Miguel Cabrera wrote a singular book to which he gave the baroque title Maravilla americana y conjunto de raras maravillas, observadas con la dirección de las reglas del Arte de la Pintura en la prodigiosa imagen de Nuestra Sra. de Guadalupe de México por Don Miguel Cabrera pintor del Ilmo. Sr. D. D. Manuel Joseph Rubio, y Salinas, Dignísimo Arzobispo de México, y del Consejo de su Magestad, &c. a quien se la consagra. Con licencia: En México en la Imprenta del Real, y más Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso Año de 1756. The purpose of the book was to analyze the artistic characteristics of the painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe in his opinion, after the rigorous examination to which he submitted it while before his eyes; in fact, Maravilla americana (“American marvel”) was essentially based on the material analysis of the painting of this Virgin, which was, as it still is, in Mexico City, and which, according to Miguel Cabrera’s judgment, proved admirable “under the rules of the art of painting”. The theme of the Virgin was of great esteem to the Gonzálezes, as we will see below. 14 THE MARVELOUS ENCONCHADO PAINTINGS FROM NEW SPAIN 15 It should be remembered that, according to the New Spanish tradition, the testamentary documents of the inhabitants of Mexico City account for pieces painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe was shown in 1531 to the Bishop of Mexico, and enconchado works belonging to private collections. Fray Juan de Zumárraga, by Juan Diego, native of Coatitlan, a place adjoining Lake Texcoco in Mexico, who had it miraculously stamped on his ayate (cloth What follows is a short summary of this list: two mother-of-pearl panels with made from maguey fiber). By the way, when Pope John Paul II visited the their moldings; three mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquer panels showing different great Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico, he beatified Juan Diego on May 6, saints with their frames in the same material; one mother-of-pearl inlay panel 1990. The aforementioned fact is relevant now because the brothers Juan and showing Our Lady of the Conception and one of Our Lady of Los Remedios; two Miguel González, residing in Mexico City –, then known as “lacquer and inlay mother-of-pearl inlay panels representing the Prayer in the Garden and Jesus of painters”, represent in our days, due to their unique use of mother-of-pearl and Nazareth; one mother-of-pearl figure of Our Lady of Guadalupe; one panel of Our the exquisite technique they applied in their many pieces, an American marvel, Lady of Guadalupe of three ‘quartas’ of mother-of-pearl, etc. paraphrasing the title of Miguel Cabrera’s book. In Toussaint’s opinion, the mother-of-pearl inlay paintings were made Their works were highly appreciated and demanded by a clientele willing to approximately between 1692 and 1752. However, this reference is inaccurate pay for them. because it is only based on the period of analysis of the Alcaldes Ordinarios Fig. 1 Facsimile of the cover of the book by archives, that is, from 1692 to 1752. painter Miguel Cabrera. Mexico, 1756. One of the earliest art researchers in Mexico to provide information about mother-of-pearl inlay (“enconchado”) painting in New Spain was Manuel It should be noted that works by the Gonzálezes are kept at the Museum of the Toussaint. Specifically, in 1952 he mentioned the painters named González, and Americas in Madrid, at the National History Museum, at the National Institute he even asserted, after giving it a lot of thought, the possibility that they may of Anthropology and History of Mexico (INAH), at the Franz Mayer Museum have been from New Spain. In his opinion, nevertheless, until documentary in Mexico City, at museums in the United States, as well as in private collections. evidence appeared proving the Mexican origin of the Gonzálezes, the issue would remain uncertain. Not all works made by Miguel and Juan González are signed. Those signed by Juan include, for example, the Virgin of Valvanera, preserved at the Museum of In his reference study, entitled La pintura con incrustaciones de concha nácar en the Americas, in Madrid, as well as a Nativity, signed in 1662, belonging to the Nueva España,* Toussaint had already noted the difficulty regarding the origin Smithsonian Institute in Washington. and study of these artists, Miguel and Juan González. He pointed out, however, that the Contemporáneos magazine had made known, through Alfonso Reyes, Juan González’ signed and dated works are from circa 1662-1703, and Miguel’s a series of panels signed by the first of these artists, Miguel, portraying many from circa 1692-1698. Both were members of the New Spanish Painters Episodes of the Conquest of Mexico, which is currently part of the collection of Union, which widely recognized the exceptional work and quality of the pieces the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires. produced at their workshop in Mexico City. Another very significant contribution by Manuel Toussaint was the information Some of the series of the Episodes of the Conquest of Mexico are signed, as we that he disclosed in his work, since he devoted part of it to spreading news mentioned above, only by Miguel González, and are kept at the National about the archives of the Alcaldes Ordinarios y Corregidores1 of Mexico City, Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires and, in the case of the panel The Allegories in charge of hearing testamentary proceedings. This information allowed him of the Creed, at the National History Museum in Mexico. There are also works to review the inventory items of wills. This is how we have learned that the signed by both Miguel and Juan González (1698), for example, the historical 16 THE MARVELOUS ENCONCHADO PAINTINGS FROM NEW SPAIN 17 Fig. 2 Panel 4 / Scene 7: Cortés enters Fig. 3 Panel 10 / Scene 19: Motecuhzoma’s Cempoala and is welcomed by “Fat Chief”, welcome. Scene 20: Mexican Dances on who feeds and entertains all the Spaniards. Canoes in the Lagoon. Scene 8: He walks with Pánfilo de Narváez’ people. This scene represents the escort of emperor Moctezuma, who is going to welcome Hernán In its central part, this panel describes Cortés’ Cortés at the entrance of the city of Mexico- arrival in Cempoala and the Chief’s welcome, Tenochtitlan (the Aztec capital). As in the who offers him a great banquet, represented previous panel (no. 9), here at the top the on the top right-hand corner. Above the lagoon of Mexico is represented, sailed by banquet, the second scene represents Pánfilo bedecked boats welcoming Cortés, as in the de Narváez’ troops arriving in the same city.