Analysis Of Don Manuel Jose Rubio Y Salinas, Archbishop Of Mexico '

The Conquest in 1492 brought a number of changes to Latin America. In particular, art in New Spain was largely influenced by its European counterparts. As a result, a number of artists were trained in European painting styles. Miguel Cabrera had this upbringing in the art world. In this paper, I am going to examine the composition of his painting Don Manuel Jose Rubio y Salinas, Archbishop of Mexico (Fig. 1), along with providing information about the subject. I am also going to address how Cabrera showcased a European style through his use of shading, and how his technique of displaying perspective differs from European Baroque equivalents. The main figure in this painting is seated in an elaborate Baroque chair lined with velvet and topped with a shell motif. The figure possesses enough wealth to …show more content…
This is exemplified in his use of oil paints. As a result, Miguel Cabrera was able to paint in a variety of textures and he provided another level of sensory awareness to viewers. An individual can clearly distinguish the velvet on the chair, the satin robe and underskirt, leather gloves, and lace-lined shirt. Color is an important factor in this painting as well. The dark background is highlighted by the rich colored walls and the curtain provides a direct contrast to the bright color red. This contrast helps viewers ' eyes to focus on the figure of Manuel Joseph Rubio y Salinas. Red is not only a crucial color for Spain, but it also represents the archbishop 's ecclesiastical position. A painting analogous to this work that Miguel Cabrera might have been influenced by was Pierre Subleyras ' Pope Benedict XIV (Fig. 2). It features a similar composition to Cabrera 's painting, and it was completed in 1745 in Italy. Moreover, this similarity displays a common pattern for this type of subject matter, and a model for artists to employ when displaying figures with ecclesiastical