This image is an example of one of the most widespread forms of representation of the devotion to the Virgin of Guadalupe: the Virgin in the center with the four apparitions on shields in each corner, and floral ornaments surrounding her. It is not a perfect image of the effigy; it is an exact copy of the original Virgin of Guadalupe as among other things, the figure of Mary is quite a lot shorter, and the interpretation of light and shadow in the tunic differs from those of the original cloak, as well as the angel bearing the Moon. It is likely that the artist did not know, or would not copy, the primary model, which also seems to be denoted in that the narrative scenes of the apparitions follow closely, although in simplified form, the engravings that Matias de Arteaga made in 1685 to recount the wondrous miracle as part of that year's edition of the book Felicidad de Mexico(The Happiness of Mexico), by Luis Becerra Tanco. It is even more likely that the painter consulted these prints indirectly by taking a painting of four episodes as a model that could represent them in a similar way to this work from the Amparo Collection.
The colorful flowers are rich, and shades of blue are used, which are not present in the original Guadalupana, to generate volume in the cloak. This type of painting, therefore, is a very clear example of how the worship of the Virgin of Guadalupe resulted in, and probably also caused, the reproduction of the miraculous image by adapting it to particular tastes and formats.
This image is an example of one of the most widespread forms of representation of the devotion to the Virgin of Guadalupe: the Virgin in the center with the four apparitions on shields in each corner, and floral ornaments surrounding her. It is not a perfect image of the effigy; it is an exact copy of the original Virgin of Guadalupe as among other things, the figure of Mary is quite a lot shorter, and the interpretation of light and shadow in the tunic differs from those of the original cloak, as well as the angel bearing the Moon. It is likely that the artist did not know, or would not copy, the primary model, which also seems to be denoted in that the narrative scenes of the apparitions follow closely, although in simplified form, the engravings that Matias de Arteaga made in 1685 to recount the wondrous miracle as part of that year's edition of the book Felicidad de Mexico(The Happiness of Mexico), by Luis Becerra Tanco. It is even more likely that the painter consulted these prints indirectly by taking a painting of four episodes as a model that could represent them in a similar way to this work from the Amparo Collection.
