The Death of Saint Joseph

One of the central themes of Baroque culture is that of death, since it supposes the possibility of meeting God in eternal life. Therefore, in New Granada, scenes representing the instant of the death of saints or biblical characters were popular.

The scene of Joseph’s death is narrated in the apocryphal gospels, in which the saint is shown as a model of the Good Death, as he died peacefully. In order to achieve this grace, during the colonial period, numerous manuals for Good Dying emerged.

Thus, the central figure of this painting is a Joseph dying who, quietly awaiting his death, lies on his bed covered by an ochre blanket and wearing a white coat.

On his left, Jesus, dressed in a green tunic and red mantle, gives absolution to Joseph. In this case, the Son acts as a priest and accompanies the saint in the passage from earthly to spiritual life.

To the left of the deathbed, the Virgin is seen kneeling, dressed in pink tunic and blue mantle, with her right hand on her chest and her gaze upwards.

In the lower area of the work, at the foot of the bed, two angels are located: one kneeling and the other sitting on a platform. Both seem to be waiting for the soul of the Patriarch, to take her to Heaven.

Next to them there is a chisel and a mallet, elements that refer to the carpenter’s trade, which Joseph exercised throughout his life.

In the upper central area of the image stands a glow of golden light framed in a cluster of clouds, a pictorial resource known as rompimiento de gloria, ‘breaking of glory’. This surrounds a white dove with its wings extended, symbol of the Holy Spirit.

The painting is signed and dated, a rare feature in colonial art. This work was made by New Granada painter Gregorio Vásquez de Arce y Ceballos (c. 1638-1711) and is one of the few pieces to which his authorship can be accurately attributed.