Representations of the Virgin of Guadalupe increased throughout the eighteenth century, especially after she was made patroness of Mexico City in 1737, during the matlazahuatl epidemic, which had principally attacked indigenous communities in the area. Although many communities in the Valley of Mexico and neighbouring areas were already attracted to the Guadalupana devotion, it would be reasonable to believe that after recovering from the epidemic, thanks to the supposed intervention of this Virgin, the affection to her would increase. Indigenous communities of the Puebla-Tlaxcala region who, incidentally, were highly dynamic during this century, already had a significant number of devotees to this image, which could increase even more given the cult's growing influence within the vice-royalty following her induction.
This piece is a representation in the local style of the Virgin of Guadalupe; not a precise one as if a "true copy" like other works that pretended to be an exact reproduction of some miraculous image, but one that includes all of her distinguishing features to preserve her identity. In this case the Guadalupana is represented as if the painter had seen her image or copied it from a print, with no help other than his own ability. This is why there are certain "inaccurate" details that do not escape a comparative look with "faithfully" copied pieces, such as the design, embellished in this piece, with black and gold flowers on the pink tunic, or the number and location of the stars in her mantle.
What is interesting about this piece, which may be missing its upper part because of the absence of the Holy Spirit to complete the Trinity, which is commonly represented next to the Virgin, are the portraits of indigenous chiefs as her donors. Both the man and woman gaze upward at the heavens with their hands clasped together in prayer, a position that reveals the staff of office held in the man's hand, which is leaning against his torso and held in place by his arms, demonstrating that he must have been an official in a community. The fabric of their richly woven outfits, as well as the woman's coral necklace and the fashionable artificial beauty mark known as “chiqueador”, emphasize their high economic status.
The representation is decorated with flower garlands on Mary's sides, a common way of beautifying the works and to the original print on the tilma of Juan Diego.
Representations of the Virgin of Guadalupe increased throughout the eighteenth century, especially after she was made patroness of Mexico City in 1737, during the matlazahuatl epidemic, which had principally attacked indigenous communities in the area. Although many communities in the Valley of Mexico and neighbouring areas were already attracted to the Guadalupana devotion, it would be reasonable to believe that after recovering from the epidemic, thanks to the supposed intervention of this Virgin, the affection to her would increase. Indigenous communities of the Puebla-Tlaxcala region who, incidentally, were highly dynamic during this century, already had a significant number of devotees to this image, which could increase even more given the cult's growing influence within the vice-royalty following her induction.
