Anonymous Artist
Our Lady of Cocharcas
Cuzco (Peru), 1761
Inscription: “Totapul cra es maria ed macula originalis no es ente Tugloria la mila grosa y mágen de nues senora de cocharcas año 1768”
Oil on canvas
Inscription: “Totapul cra es maria ed macula originalis no es ente Tugloria la mila grosa y mágen de nues senora de cocharcas año 1768”
Oil on canvas
83×79 cm
This painting of Our Lady of Cocharcas, dated 1761, features a detailed inscription and significant historical context. The Latin text on the banner, referring to the Immaculate Conception, confirms the date and names the Virgin simply as "of Cocharcas." Originally a copy of Our Lady of Copacabana, the image was brought to Cocharcas after a pilgrimage.
The artwork, resembling similar paintings like the one at the Brooklyn Museum (1765), depicts Our Lady of Cocharcas with a monumental canopy, flanked by mountain paths from Ayacucho and Cuzco. It includes scenes of pilgrims' journeys, miraculous events, and local festivities, blending historical and spiritual elements.
This depiction emphasizes the Virgin's role and local significance, contrasting with earlier images and reflecting the town's devotion and the church’s history.