Our Lady of Sorrows (Cristóbal de Villalpando)

[1] In the work of Villalpando’s early formative period, the influence of Baltasar de Echave Rioja and Pedro Ramírez is noticeable, as the painter’s skills were nourished mainly by the artistic circles of the cities of Mexico and Puebla.

From Echave he took the use of contrasting light, while from Ramírez he learned to create a strong sense of physical presence through correct drawing and anatomical accuracy.

In the case of this work, the dynamism of the group of angels behind the Virgin Mary contrasts with the static nature of the principal figure, whose central position is accentuated by a precise, classical rendering.

Evidence of this is provided by the countless panegyrics written on the theme and by the particular instances of this Marian devotion in Acatzingo, Puebla, and in Oaxaca.

Three other representations of the Mater Dolorosa by Villalpando are known to exist: one in the Museo Nacional del Virreinato, one in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Guadalajara, and one in the private collection of Manuel Barbachano.