Nuestra Señora de Belén

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Object Details

Artist

José Campeche y Jordán, born San Juan, Puerto Rico 1751-died San Juan, Puerto Rico 1809

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The iconography of the Virgin nursing the infant Jesus identifies Mary with the Church. In the same manner that Mary cares for the Christ child, so the Church nurtures its children. Images of the Virgin nursing were popular in the High Middle Ages, particularly in Spain in Catalonia and Valencia. When José Campeche was active in Puerto Rico, Catalonians were bringing to the island artistic influences from the mother country. (Yvonne Lange, “Santos: The Household Wooden Saints of Puerto Rico,” PhD diss., 1975)

Credit Line

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection

Date

late 18th century

Object number

1996.91.7

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Painting

Medium

oil on copper

Dimensions

9 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (24.2 x 19.2 cm.)

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Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection

Department

Painting and Sculpture

Data Source

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Topic

Religion\New Testament\Christ

Recreation\leisure\eating and drinking

Religion\New Testament\Mary

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk721f68b66-71a8-4ff8-b810-0c82d97c3452

Record ID

saam_1996.91.7