The pair of paintings entitled The Virgin of Guadalupe and St John the Baptist, together with the Jewelry Chest, are living artistic expressions from the Americas at the time of the Viceroyalty. These wonderful pieces were crafted with the incredible technique called enconchado, that is, mother-of-pearl inlay on panel, used with great mastery and imagination by Mexican artists Juan and Miguel González as the leading exponents. This unique manifestation from New Spain combines European and Asian styles, imbuing them with a strong American character.
These works, which have remained unpublished until today, are a major contribution to Spanish American art, and this publication is the first of a series of studies of the captivating, magical art executed in the Americas during the Viceroyalty.