Doña Maria de la Luz Anna Margarita Marcota
Artist:
Miguel de Herrera
(Mexican, 1700 - 1789)
Place made:Mexico
Period: Viceroyalty of New Spain
Date: 1778
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
h. 20 1/2 in. (52.1 cm) x w. 5 1/8 in. (38.4 cm)
framed: h. 26 3/4 in. (67.9 cm) x w. 21 3/8 in. (54.3 cm) x d. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm)
Credit Line: Purchased with the Mary Kathryn Lynch Kurtz Fund for the Acquisition of Modern Latin American Art
Object number: 2012.22.1
Signed: Signed, lower right corner
Inscribed: Inscribed at the top of the painting: "[Doña] Magia de la Luz Anna Margarita Marcote, hija legitima del [Licenciado] [Don] José Tiniote Espino, y de [Doña] Maria de la Luz Gomez, Nació en esta Corte de [Mexico] en [illegible] de Abril 1778.”
Label Text
This portrait of Doña María is signed by Miguel de Herrera. Often confused with Fr. Miguel Herrera, an Augustinian friar who painted in Mexico City a generation earlier, the artist of this work, a namesake of the Friar, became well- known for his exceptional ability to capture powerful likenesses of upper class society in eighteenth century Mexico.
This engaging portrait of Doña María represents her around 12 years of age. She appears to be in mourning (luto) as suggested by her black dress, choker necklace, bracelet, and the miniature portrait she wears on her right wrist, possibly that of her deceased mother. The black spot on her left temple is known as a chiqueador. These spots were originally believed to alleviate the pain of migraine headaches, but, over several centuries, they evolved into beauty marks for upper class Mexican women. Here, again, the chiqueador may have been used to accentuate Doña María's state of mourning. Miguel de Herrera's portrait establishes the sitter as a member of wealthy colonial society. Her costly jewelry and fine lace, as well as her confident, formal physical attitude suggest someone of privilege and high social standing.
Doña María later married Don Juan Flores Alatorre, a lawyer from Guadalajara, and the Museum also owns a portrait of him painted circa 1810. This painting, as well as that of his uncle Vincente Antonio Alatorre are presently being conserved for future display.
(M.O., nd)
This engaging portrait of Doña María represents her around 12 years of age. She appears to be in mourning (luto) as suggested by her black dress, choker necklace, bracelet, and the miniature portrait she wears on her right wrist, possibly that of her deceased mother. The black spot on her left temple is known as a chiqueador. These spots were originally believed to alleviate the pain of migraine headaches, but, over several centuries, they evolved into beauty marks for upper class Mexican women. Here, again, the chiqueador may have been used to accentuate Doña María's state of mourning. Miguel de Herrera's portrait establishes the sitter as a member of wealthy colonial society. Her costly jewelry and fine lace, as well as her confident, formal physical attitude suggest someone of privilege and high social standing.
Doña María later married Don Juan Flores Alatorre, a lawyer from Guadalajara, and the Museum also owns a portrait of him painted circa 1810. This painting, as well as that of his uncle Vincente Antonio Alatorre are presently being conserved for future display.
(M.O., nd)
On view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
