Devotional representations in mission churches of the Mojos region (Bolivia) in the light of inventories of the epoch of expulsion

The article presents three types of representations that may be found at the time of the Jesuits’ exile in mission churches of the order in the Mojos region of Bolivia. The fi rst group comprises devotional images typical of the Catholic Church, created in the post-Tridentine period; these are representations of Our Lady, Christ, Saints and biblical scenes. The second group consists of representations of fi gures associated with the Jesuit Order. While the third group includes representations and titles typical of the Viceroyalty of Peru, such as Señor de los Temblores, Virgen de Cocharcas and Nuestra Señora de Belén (from Cusco). All the titles have been determined on the basis of the inventories of 1767, stored in Sucre in Archivo y Biblioteca Nacional de Bolivia (ABNB, signature: M y Ch, GRM, vol. 1, I and My Ch, GRM, vol. 1, III) and accounts from that period, which contain both information about the representations themselves and their frames associated with worship of the effi gies. In the summary part, the objects concerned are presented in a broader context, both Peruvian, American and European one.

Jesuit colleges in Cusco: San Bernardo and San Francisco Borja. Art and architecture in the light of the inventories of 1768

The most famous architectural complex associated with the Jesuit order in colonial Cusco, was the college and church of the Transfiguration, located in the main square of the city. Monks of the Society of Jesus focused on evangelisation and teaching, which led to creation of subsequent monastic foundations. There were two schools in Cusco: one of them was intended for descendants of conquistadors (Colegio de San Bernardo), and the other one for sons of Andean caciques (Colegio de San Francisco Borja). Each of them was located in its own architectural complex, and one of the necessary conceptual elements of the complexes was a chapel intended for students. There are quite a few sources and studies concerning the history of both schools, and the interior decoration of the chapels located at the colleges has been reconstructed on the basis of the preserved inventories, drawn up at the time of expulsion of Jesuits and takeover of their property. The author of the article concentrates on reconstruction of the decoration, showing it in the cultural and artistic context of the region.

History of the house in Cusco: Casa de Alabado Santísimo Sacramento

An analysis of the public spaces around the house belonging to the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament (Casa de Alabado Santísimo Sacramento) was included at the beginning of this study. This was the starting point for further considerations aimed at clarifying the historical process of transformation of the property, house No. 581 on Chihuampata Street. The analysis was carried out using archival sources, i.e. notarial records recording the purchase and sale of lots and land, as well as wills and donations. A historical reconstruction of the properties was carried out using a retrospective methodology and using the book of the first census of the city of Cusco in 1862.

Distinction, elegance and mourning in vice-royal fashion: the use of black clothing

Since ancient times, the wear of black garments as a sign of mourning for the loss of a loved one has been related to night and darkness, and also to the fear of the unknown and death. Although there is no continuous line about the use of black to demonstrate mourning, in the case of Spain and its overseas kingdoms, its use is directly related to the promulgation of the “Pragmatic of mourning and wax” (1502), following the death of the prince Juan de Castilla in 1497, son of the Catholic Monarchs, which prescribed austerity in the celebration of funerals. This pragmatic was in force until it was modified by the Council of Toledo during the reign of Felipe V, in the first third of the 18th century. In addition, since the reign of Philip II, in the mid-sixteenth century, dressing “Spanish style”, that is, in black, became synonymous with prestige and elegance, since the king adopted black for his closet and turned it into the color of the court and a symbol of power and glory, thanks to the arrival in Spain of the Campeche wood, originally from the Yucatan peninsula, and its commercial monopoly. The palo de Campeche was highly valued because it produces an intense and stable black dye, characteristics that had not been achieved with the European dyeing techniques of the time. The use of black clothing spread from Spain and significantly affected fashion in both Europe and America. As can be seen, the implications of wearing black garments have been economic, political, and social. The paper seeks to demonstrate the importance attributed to black clothing in two different contexts in the viceroyalty of Peru.