Coronation of the Virgin of the Rosary

The cult of the Virgin Mary was one of the most significant in New Granada religiosity from the 16th to the 18th century. Despite being a belief promoted by the Council of Trent (1545-1563), it already had a long tradition rooted in Spain

In this case, it is represented the Virgin of the Rosary, recognizable by the rosary she holds in her right hand, this being one of her attributes. In his left arm, he holds the naked Child.

Within the religious orders, the one that most defended the cult and appropriated this element was the Dominican Order, as it turned the rosary into one of its distinctive elements.

In this case, the Virgin of the Rosary is presented crowned by two angels, an act that demonstrates, according to Christian tradition, the glory of the mother of Christ.

This work is attributed to the painter Angelino Medoro (1567-1631) one of the first Italian painters to travel to colonial America. He traveled from his hometown to Seville and from there to America, passing through cities such as Santafé, Tunja, Cali, Lima and Santiago de Chile

At the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century, the cities of colonial America became centers of interest for the migration of artists from different places in Europe to American lands.

Medoro was part of a triad of Italian artists who arrived on the continent, among whom were Mateo Pérez de Alesio (1547-1628) and Bernardo Bitti (1548-1610), who were responsible for spreading the artistic style known as Mannerism.

Developed in the second half of the 16th century, in this style, the bodies and their movements are exaggerated, an aspect that can be noticed in the elongation of the figures and the prominent role played by the folds and textures of the fabrics.

In the case of this Virgin, both aspects are evident: both the anatomy of the protagonists of the scene, and the treatment the painter gives to Mary’s red tunic based on the contrast of light and shadow, which highlights the folds and the textile movement.