Santa Ana y la Virgen (Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary)
| Support Type: | Canvas |
| Paint Type: | Oil Paint |
| Current Location: | Museo Regional de Querétaro |
| Location History: | It is part of the Querétaro Regional Museum, 1986. In February 2020, this work was admitted to the Easel Painting Restoration Seminar-Workshop, where an assessment of its state of preservation was conducted and restoration work began. |
Diego de Sanabria was a Mexican master painter who was active from 1790 to 1810. His artworks focused on religious scenes, implementing the chiaroscuro art style. Chiaroscuro, translated roughly from Italian, means light and dark. This art technique became popular from the late 15th century through the 17th century (the peak of the Baroque period), and it was frequently observable in religious-themed paintings since it showcases realistic, dramatic, and emotionally charged scenes by emphasizing light and shadows. Human expression under this theatrical art style looks deeply moving, troubled, or divine. Additionally, the Catholic Church commissioned a massive amount of Baroque art to win back its influence on the people over the rise of Protestantism. The artwork titled 'Santa Ana y la Virgen' (Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary) is a large, vertical work by Sanabria, from 1716. The piece is part of the Regional Museum of Queretaro, in Mexico. In its composition, Sanabria incorporates Saint Anne, seated on a throne while holding on her lap a young Virgin Mary. Surrounding them are angels, God, his son Jesus (with a mark from the Crucifixion in his left hand), and the Holy Spirit represented by a white dove, emerging from a halo of glory. Together, they represent the Holy Trinity. The scene is a symbolic representation of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary in Heaven.
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