Nuestra Señora de Belén

José Campeche y Jordán, Nuestra Señora de Belén, late 18th century, oil on copper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.7
José Campeche y Jordán, Nuestra Señora de Belén, late 18th century, oil on copper, 9 1⁄2 x 7 1⁄2 in. (24.2 x 19.2 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.7
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Artwork Details

Title
Nuestra Señora de Belén
Artist
Date
late 18th century
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
9 1⁄2 x 7 1⁄2 in. (24.2 x 19.2 cm.)
Credit Line
Teodoro Vidal Collection
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on copper
Classifications
Highlights
Subjects
  • Religion — New Testament — Christ
  • Recreation — leisure — eating and drinking
  • Religion — New Testament — Mary
Object Number
1996.91.7
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1996.91.7

Artwork Description

The iconography of the Virgin nursing the infant Jesus identifies Mary with the Church. In the same manner that Mary cares for the Christ child, so the Church nurtures its children. Images of the Virgin nursing were popular in the High Middle Ages, particularly in Spain in Catalonia and Valencia. When José Campeche was active in Puerto Rico, Catalonians were bringing to the island artistic influences from the mother country. (Yvonne Lange, “Santos: The Household Wooden Saints of Puerto Rico,” PhD diss., 1975)

Works by this artist (8 items)

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José Campeche y Jordán, Don José Mas Ferrer, ca. 1795, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.1
Don José Mas Ferrer
Artist
Dateca. 1795
oil on canvas
On view
José Campeche y Jordán, La Virgen del pilar, late 18th century, oil on canvas mounted to board, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.8
La Virgen del pilar
Artist
Datelate 18th century
oil on canvas mounted to board
On view
José Campeche y Jordán, San Juan Nepomuceno, ca. 1798, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.5
San Juan Nepomuceno
Artist
Dateca. 1798
oil on canvas
On view
José Campeche y Jordán, Retrato de caballero, ca. 1805-1809, oil on wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.3
Retrato de caballero
Artist
Dateca. 1805-1809
oil on wood
On view

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John Hesselius, Mrs. Richard Brown, ca. 1760, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase in memory of Ralph Cross Johnson, 1969.153
Mrs. Richard Brown
Artist
Dateca. 1760
oil on canvas
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Jacob van Strij, Dutch Landscape with Figures, n.d., oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mabel Johnson Langhorne, 1956.11.51
Dutch Landscape with Figures
Artist
Attributed to Jacob van Strij
Daten.d.
oil on canvas
Not on view
John Jackson, Portrait of a Man, n.d., oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mabel Johnson Langhorne, 1956.11.26
Portrait of a Man
Artist
Daten.d.
oil on canvas
Not on view
Matthew Pratt, John Swanwick, ca. 1800, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, 2010.16.2
John Swanwick
Artist
Dateca. 1800
oil on canvas
Not on view