High Roads to Colonial Art - "Escuela Cuzqueña" Influence in the Philippines

May 30, 2019

One of the wood panel paintings -"San Cristobal" in Paete Church, Laguna.
By Jose Luciano Dans (1805 - 1870) Wiki

One curios load of the "Nao de China" or the trading galleons of the Manila - Acapulco carried to the Far East in the early 17thh Century were objects for the propagation of the Christian faith -- religious artworks. It was one of great importance for religious orders. The duties whatsoever were waved as it was seen as of importance.

The markets and ports of Nueva Espana were flooded with both merchants and copiers of religious art. There was somehow a prevailing norm or an art form prevalent in the Americas. And it's origin was high above the clouds, in the Andes. In the former capital of the Inca empire, Cusco Peru.

This Catholic religious artistic tradition came to be known as "Escuela Cuzqueña" (The Cuzco School ).

In the early years of evangelization of the Americas, the art of painting religious themes also began to flourish in the high Andes. Baroque art with some of its known movements like "Mannerism" influenced the Cusco art tradition. Artists from Europe also came to work there in some of the big undertakings of the church.

"Escuela Cuzqueña" spread in the Spanish possession in the New World as demands for icons and religious art increased. One curious fact: The beasts of burden unique to the Andes, like the "llamas" and "alpacas" played a big role in this. The animals took the high roads descending to stations of trade of highland Peru, carrying objects and artworks from the region and somehow reaching Mexico where many local craftsmen copied and spread it around.

This religious art tradition had to cross the vast Pacific.

In Paete Laguna, in the church of Saint James the apostle, there is a mural of St Christopher that is very indicative of the styles of Spanish colonial art and its influence. According to local lore, the first "San Cristobal" painted by local painter Jose Luciano Dans was not so liked by the priest. It was too oriental, with the saint seen having a sword, more like a character in a local Moro-Moro. A second had to be commissioned. The styles and colors remind one of the unique kinds of Baroque mannerisms that developed in Cuzco and spread around the Americas.

I recall one of my grandmother's valued possession, which she kept in his cartamoneta (wallet). It was a "stampita" of Santa Rosa de Lima, the somewhat crude presentation seen in the artwork, that I remember now, imagining about that high road it took to be here.