The Betrothal of the Virgin to Saint Joseph

In New Spain, as in many of the Spanish crown territories, Marian themes, whether dedications for altars or scenes from the Virgins Life, became very important due to the Counterreformation, which defended the figure of Mary from the attacks of the Protestant. Those incidents from the life of the Mother of God that are directly linked to the life of Christ, such as the Annunciation or Visitation, are recounted in the canonical gospels, but many others, as is the case with the betrothal of the Virgin and Saint Joseph, are referred to only in the Apocrypha. These two pieces, identical in format, belong to a series depicting the life of the Virgin, the didactic aim of which was to remind people of the Mother of God. During the neo-Hispanic period, it was common for painters, above all when dealing with religious themes, to base their works on models, this making the transmission of ideas to the faithful, which was the main aim of religious painting, easier. Among other things, the use of these models, which could be either engravings or older paintings, ensured that propriety and correct symbolism were adhered to, thus avoiding deviation from doctrinal canons. Hence, we can see how Villalpando holds to the same models as those adhered to by Luis Juárez and Sebastián López de Arteaga when dealing with these topics. Despite the restrictions apparently inherent in basing artistic works on models, painters were afforded enough leeway to be able to leave their personal mark on their oeuvre. Thus we can observe how Villalpandos personal style draws on traditional features such as the liking for detail, contrastive lighting and softness of facial features, while incorporating his own fondness For more expressive, lively forms, attained via the use of loose brushwork. These works passed to the MUNAL from the San Diego Viceregal Painting Gallery in the year 2000.