Virgin of Guadalupe
Brooklyn Museum photograph
Object Label
Isidro Escamilla painted this image shortly after the 1821 Act of Independence, which formalized the end of Spanish rule in the region. New World figures like the Virgin of Guadalupe, who miraculously appeared to the Indian Juan Diego in 1521, became important nationalist symbols, supporting the idea that Mexican independence was divinely ordained.
Caption
Isidro Escamilla Mexican, active 19th century. Virgin of Guadalupe, September 1, 1824. Oil on canvas, 22 7/8 x 15in. (58.1 x 38.1cm) frame: 22 7/8 x 15 1/4 x 7/8 in. (58.1 x 38.7 x 2.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Henry L. Batterman Fund, 45.128.189. No known copyright restrictions (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 45.128.189_SL3.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Artist
Title
Virgin of Guadalupe
Date
September 1, 1824
Geography
Place made: Mexico
Medium
Oil on canvas
Classification
Dimensions
22 7/8 x 15in. (58.1 x 38.1cm) frame: 22 7/8 x 15 1/4 x 7/8 in. (58.1 x 38.7 x 2.2 cm)
Inscriptions
Bottom center: "se ácabó este Lienzo el dia primero de/Sbre d 1824 año: Lo pinto Ysidro Escamilla"
Credit Line
Henry L. Batterman Fund
Accession Number
45.128.189
Rights
No known copyright restrictions
This work may be in the public domain in the United States. Works created by United States and non-United States nationals published prior to 1923 are in the public domain, subject to the terms of any applicable treaty or agreement. You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this work. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). The Museum does not warrant that the use of this work will not infringe on the rights of third parties, such as artists or artists' heirs holding the rights to the work. It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy copyright or other use restrictions before copying, transmitting, or making other use of protected items beyond that allowed by "fair use," as such term is understood under the United States Copyright Act. The Brooklyn Museum makes no representations or warranties with respect to the application or terms of any international agreement governing copyright protection in the United States for works created by foreign nationals. For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
Why is the Virgin blue?
The Virgin of Guadalupe (an incarnation of the Virgin Mary) frequently wears blue as a convention of visual communication. In the same way, certain saints always hold specific objects images such as these were meant to communicate to a largely illiterate public. By developing a standard way to represent The Virgin, Christ, The Saints etc. it was ensured the message could be conveyed regardless of literacy.If you head to the 3rd floor to see our Italian Renaissance paintings, you'll notice more of this standardized iconography.Cool! Is this concept also applicable to Hindu paintings?In a broad sense yes, iconography functions to deliver a clear message through easily understood symbols. Obviously Hindu paintings of Shiva are blue for a different reason, but the idea of clear communication is at the core.What does the inscription on the lower part of this painting mean?
The inscription reads: "Se ácabó este Lienzo el dia primero de/Sbre d 1824 año: Lo pinto Ysidro Escamilla"It gives the date on which this work was painted (September 1, 1824) and the name of the artist (Isidro Escamilla).Can you tell me about the image?
This work is an example of the type of art being produced in Mexico after the colonial period ended and Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821. While these are all very clearly Catholic images, the work really shows a blending of Native and Spanish styles.The Virgin of Guadalupe (an incarnation of the Virgin Mary) frequently wears blue as a convention of visual communication. In the same way, certain saints always hold specific objects images such as these were meant to communicate to a largely illiterate public. By developing a standard way to represent The Virgin, Christ, the saints, etc. it was ensured the message could be conveyed regardless of the viewer's literacy.Who was the Virgin of Guadalupe?
The Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico and a symbol of Mexican independence. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary (earthly mother of Jesus Christ) appeared to Juan Diego, an Aztec convert to Christianity in December of 1531. She requested that a shrine be built to her. This was the first of a network of shrines dedicated to Mary across Mexico. The small scenes in the corners show her story. The roses on either side of her refer to the roses the Virgin miraculously made appear in the winter.What is this about?
This painting shows the Virgin of Guadalupe, an incarnation of the Virgin Mary. This version of her was painted by Isidro Escamilla. She is a symbol of the veracity of Christianity, and particularly Catholicism.The Virgin Mary also became a nationalist symbol when Mexico gained independence in 1821. The visual language used to depict her includes the distinctive blue mantle, a traditional way of showing Mary throughout history.
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