Marcos Zapata was a painter whose family belonged to the native aristocracy of Cuzco, and his surname was “Sapaca”, which became Zapata on being hispanized, although he also sometimes signed his paintings “Sapaca”.27 Alongside his contemporary Basilio de Santa Cruz, he was the foremost exponent of the Andean Baroque style, also known as the Barroco de Indias. He is considered one of the main figures from the Cuzco School of the 18th century, and was in charge of one of the most popular and renowned workshops of the day. As the years went by, he received and completed a great number of commissions both from Cuzco and beyond. His work was highly valued due to its simple and devote artistic language. His brush produced visually vibrant and energetic works, with a unique creative identity that made a valuable contribution to the pictorial heritage, rich in syncretic elements where his indigenous roots shine through. His entire oeuvre makes an unquestionable iconographic contribution to the study of the way colonial society functioned in the Hispanic Americas. The emergence of the many schools of the Altiplano (High Plateau region) was largely due to the widespread dissemination of Cuzco painting throughout the Viceroyalty.

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