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, 9 127 12 in. (24.219.2 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Teodoro Vidal Collection, 1996.91.7
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Artwork Details

Title
Nuestra Señora de Belén
Date
late 18th century
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
9 127 12 in. (24.219.2 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

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 (5 items)

Kenneth M. Adams, Evening, ca. 1950-1960, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Arvin Gottlieb, 1991.205.2
Evening
Dateca. 1950-1960
oil on canvas
On view
Kenneth M. Adams, Deer Track (Pa-ee-na), after 1924, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Arvin Gottlieb, 1991.205.1
Deer Track (Pa-ee-na)
Dateafter 1924
oil on canvas
On view
Kenneth M. Adams, Taos Indian Woman, ca. 1920-1930, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Arvin Gottlieb, 1993.48.1
Taos Indian Woman
Dateca. 1920-1930
oil on canvas
On view
Harvest
Date1940
lithograph on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

Unidentified, Pieced quilt (Flying Geese), ca. 1845-1850, calicoes and chintz, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Patricia S. Smith, 1998.149.33
Pieced quilt (Flying Geese)
Artist
Unidentified
Dateca. 1845-1850
calicoes and chintz
Not on view
Louise Todd Cope, Flax II, ca. 1970s, flax and linen, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Helen Williams Drutt English and H. Peter Stern in honor of the 35th anniversary of the Renwick Gallery, 2007.47.8
Flax II
Dateca. 1970s
flax and linen
Not on view
Katherine Lewis, Rope Coil, 2011, willow, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Martha G. Ware and Steven R. Cole, 2011.47.39
Rope Coil
Date2011
willow
Not on view
Unidentified, Untitled, ca. 1860, cotton, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Patricia S. Smith, 2016.57.10
Untitled
Artist
Unidentified
Dateca. 1860
cotton
Not on view