“El Calvario""

Mexico
Oil on metal
Circa 1825
14 x 10 in.
Inventory# V104

It is unusual to see a painting on tin lamina whose style relates more to the Colonial era than the Mexican folk tradition. Such is the case with this early 19th century portrayal of John the Evangelist, the Virgin Mary, and Mary Magdalen at Christ's Crucifixion on Calvary. Behind the figures is a highly detailed urban landscape with a sun and moon, partially hidden in the clouds, giving reference to the darkening of the skies that occurred as Christ died on the cross. Painted in the technique called chiaroscuro, wherein an under-coating of natural red brown clay, called red bole, served as the middle tone on which the dark and light details were added. Interesting to note that the reverse of the metal was also coated with red bole, probably to protect it from oxidation. An abundance of crescent moons are anachronistically depicted on the rooftops, with Islam's arrival being still 600 years in the future. 

Very good original condition.