Luis de Mena was a Mexican artist who lived and worked predominantly in the middle of the eighteenth century. Mena painted religious works and has been described as "no more than a journeyman painter in 18th century Mexico."[1][2] He signed a work entitled "Most Holy Mother of Light", now on display in the Serra Museum in San Diego, California.[1]
His most famous painting is in the Museo de América in Madrid, which is much reproduced as an exemplar of the casta painting genre.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] It is a single-canvas work from 1750 which portrays not only a variety of New Spain’s castas but uniquely features the Virgin of Guadalupe.[13][14] This painting also shares more common features with others of its kind, including fruits native to Mexico and idealized scenes of daily life in the top and bottom panels.
His paintings are, as a whole, more idealistic, suggesting he belonged to a school of art which emphasized the exotic and paradisiacal elements of New Spain.[citation needed] This approach to casta painting dominated the genre until the Bourbon Reforms of the 1760s.[15]
Life and backgroundedit
Unfortunately, very few details about de Mena’s life were recorded.[16] His birthplace and date, as well as his own social standing and any specific art school or academy to which he may have belonged to, remain unknown. However, it might be reasonable to speculate that he was a creole or was at least considered legally white due to the strong element of creole pride which was often a hallmark of the genre prior to the 1760s. Mena may also have been a student of, or inspired by,[citation needed]Miguel Cabrera, one of the most famous casta painters. Cabrera had once defended the divinity of the Virgin of Guadalupe,[17] who appears in Mena’s work, and was also a contemporary of de Mena.
Referencesedit
^ abNeuerberg, Norman (Spring 1995). "La Madre de la Luz". The Journal of San Diego History. 41 (2).
^Neuerburg, Norman (Spring 1995). Crawford, Richard W. (ed.). . The Journal of San Diego History. 41 (2). Archived from the original on July 21, 2014.
^Bleichmar, Daniela (2012), Visible Empire: Botanical Expeditions and Visual Culture in the Hispanic Enlightenment, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 173
^Deans-Smith, Susan (Winter 2005). "Creating the Colonial Subject: Casta Paintings, Collectors, and Critics in Eighteenth-Century Mexico and Spain". Colonial Latin American Review: 169–204.
^Elena Isabel Estrada de Gerlero,"The Representation of ‘Heathen Indians’ in Mexican Casta Painting." In New World Orders, edited by Ilona Katzew. NY: Americas Society, 1996, 50.
^María Concepción García Sáiz. Las castas mexicanas: un género pictórico americano. Milan: Olivetti, 1989, set III; 66–67.
^Ilona Katzew, Casta Paintings: Images of Race in Eighteenth-CenturyMexico. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, 194–195.
^María Elena Martínez, Genealogical Fictions: Limpieza de Sangre, Religion, and Gender in Colonial Mexico. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2008, dust cover; 257.
^Cruz Martínez de la Torre and María Paz Cabello Caro. Museo de América, exhibition catalogue. Madrid: IberCaja/Marot, 1997, 130.
^Jeanette Favrot Peterson, Visualizing Guadalupe: From Black Madonna to Queen of the Americas. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2014, 256–257.
^Nina M. Scott, "Measuring Ingredients: Food and Domesticity in Mexican Casta Paintings." Gastronomica 5, no. 11 (2005): 70–79.
^Sarah Cline, “Guadalupe and the Castas: The Power of a Singular Colonial Mexican Painting.” Mexican Studies/Esudios Mexicanos Vol. 31, Issue 2, Summer 2015, pages 218-46.
^Deans-Smith, Susan (19 August 2006). "Creating the Colonial Subject: Casta Paintings, Collectors, and Critics in Eighteenth-Century Mexico and Spain". Colonial Latin American Review. 14 (2): 169–204. doi:10.1080/10609160500314980.
^Katzew, Ilona (2005). Casta Painting. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 109.
^Scott, Nina (Winter 2005). "Measuring Ingredients: Food and Domesticity in Mexican Casta Paintings". Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture. 5 (1): 70–79. doi:10.1525/gfc.2005.5.1.70. JSTOR 10.1525/gfc.2005.5.1.70.
^Katzew, Ilona (2005). Casta Painting. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 17.
February 16, 2024
luis, mena, other, people, named, luis, mena, luis, mena, disambiguation, mexican, artist, lived, worked, predominantly, middle, eighteenth, century, mena, painted, religious, works, been, described, more, than, journeyman, painter, 18th, century, mexico, sign. For other people named Luis Mena see Luis Mena disambiguation Luis de Mena was a Mexican artist who lived and worked predominantly in the middle of the eighteenth century Mena painted religious works and has been described as no more than a journeyman painter in 18th century Mexico 1 2 He signed a work entitled Most Holy Mother of Light now on display in the Serra Museum in San Diego California 1 Luis de Mena Virgin of Guadalupe and castas 1750His most famous painting is in the Museo de America in Madrid which is much reproduced as an exemplar of the casta painting genre 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 It is a single canvas work from 1750 which portrays not only a variety of New Spain s castas but uniquely features the Virgin of Guadalupe 13 14 This painting also shares more common features with others of its kind including fruits native to Mexico and idealized scenes of daily life in the top and bottom panels His paintings are as a whole more idealistic suggesting he belonged to a school of art which emphasized the exotic and paradisiacal elements of New Spain citation needed This approach to casta painting dominated the genre until the Bourbon Reforms of the 1760s 15 Life and background editUnfortunately very few details about de Mena s life were recorded 16 His birthplace and date as well as his own social standing and any specific art school or academy to which he may have belonged to remain unknown However it might be reasonable to speculate that he was a creole or was at least considered legally white due to the strong element of creole pride which was often a hallmark of the genre prior to the 1760s Mena may also have been a student of or inspired by citation needed Miguel Cabrera one of the most famous casta painters Cabrera had once defended the divinity of the Virgin of Guadalupe 17 who appears in Mena s work and was also a contemporary of de Mena References edit a b Neuerberg Norman Spring 1995 La Madre de la Luz The Journal of San Diego History 41 2 Neuerburg Norman Spring 1995 Crawford Richard W ed La Madre Santisima De La Luz The Journal of San Diego History 41 2 Archived from the original on July 21 2014 Bailey Gauvin Alexander 2005 Colonial Art in Latin America New York PhaidonPress pp 66 68 Bleichmar Daniela 2012 Visible Empire Botanical Expeditions and Visual Culture in the Hispanic Enlightenment Chicago University of Chicago Press p 173 Deans Smith Susan Winter 2005 Creating the Colonial Subject Casta Paintings Collectors and Critics in Eighteenth Century Mexico and Spain Colonial Latin American Review 169 204 Elena Isabel Estrada de Gerlero The Representation of Heathen Indians in Mexican Casta Painting In New World Orders edited by Ilona Katzew NY Americas Society 1996 50 Maria Concepcion Garcia Saiz Las castas mexicanas un genero pictorico americano Milan Olivetti 1989 set III 66 67 Ilona Katzew Casta Paintings Images of Race in Eighteenth CenturyMexico New Haven Yale University Press 2004 194 195 Maria Elena Martinez Genealogical Fictions Limpieza de Sangre Religion and Gender in Colonial Mexico Stanford Stanford University Press 2008 dust cover 257 Cruz Martinez de la Torre and Maria Paz Cabello Caro Museo de America exhibition catalogue Madrid IberCaja Marot 1997 130 Jeanette Favrot Peterson Visualizing Guadalupe From Black Madonna to Queen of the Americas Austin University of Texas Press 2014 256 257 Nina M Scott Measuring Ingredients Food and Domesticity in Mexican Casta Paintings Gastronomica 5 no 11 2005 70 79 Sarah Cline Guadalupe and the Castas The Power of a Singular Colonial Mexican Painting Mexican Studies Esudios Mexicanos Vol 31 Issue 2 Summer 2015 pages 218 46 Deans Smith Susan 19 August 2006 Creating the Colonial Subject Casta Paintings Collectors and Critics in Eighteenth Century Mexico and Spain Colonial Latin American Review 14 2 169 204 doi 10 1080 10609160500314980 Katzew Ilona 2005 Casta Painting New Haven Yale University Press p 109 Scott Nina Winter 2005 Measuring Ingredients Food and Domesticity in Mexican Casta Paintings Gastronomica The Journal of Food and Culture 5 1 70 79 doi 10 1525 gfc 2005 5 1 70 JSTOR 10 1525 gfc 2005 5 1 70 Katzew Ilona 2005 Casta Painting New Haven Yale University Press p 17 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Luis de Mena amp oldid 1139497936, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
