The painting Santiago Matamoros depicts the apostle Saint James as a triumphant equestrian figure defeating Moors, symbolizing the defense and expansion of the Catholic faith. Commissioned by Dr. Dionisio Briceno Ribero, an ecclesiastical governor and extirpator of idolatries, reflects the allegorical transformation of Santiago from a Moorslayer to an Indian-killer during the Spanish conquest of the Americas. The painting’s iconography, rich in detail, includes a central scene of Santiago on a white horse, flanked by cavalry and Inca warriors in the background, suggesting a symbolic rather than historicist narrative. The work underscores the Catholic Church’s efforts to evangelize and suppress indigenous pagan practices in the Andean region.

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