Novo-Hispanic school; end of the XVIII century.

Novo-Hispanic school; late eighteenth century.
"St. Joseph with Child.
Oil on tinplate".
It has a XIX century frame.
Measurements: 25 x 16,5 cm; 58 x 49 cm (frame).
Devotional image that presents us Saint Joseph of half body, holding the flowered rod that is its main iconographic symbol, with the Child Jesus leaning on his lap. Both figures appear in the foreground, in front of a neutral background that gives greater prominence to the figures. Until the Counter-Reformation, it was common for the figure of St. Joseph to remain in the background, since he was not given any theological importance. However, after Trent, his protagonist role as Jesus' protector during his childhood, as a guide during his youth, was recovered, and as such he is represented here. In contrast to the tenderness, defenselessness and candor of the infant figure, St. Joseph is presented as a monumental character, typically baroque, an impression that is reinforced by the pyramidal composition. Through this form of representation, the author visually enhances the decisive role as protector of the putative father of Jesus.
It is worth mentioning that, during the Spanish colonial domination, a mainly religious painting was developed, aimed at Christianizing the indigenous peoples. The local painters were modeled on Spanish works, which they followed literally in terms of aesthetic types and iconography. The most frequent models were the harquebusier angels and the triangular virgins, however, in the early years of the 19th century, already in times of independence and political opening of some of the colonies, several artists began to represent a new model of painting with its own identity.