The Valley of Mexico

"The Valley of Mexico" by English artist Daniel Thomas Egerton, a founding member of the Society of British Artists, is a painting created during the time period he spent living and traveling in Mexico. It belongs to the large production of artworks he produced while exploring the country, many of which were later published in 1840 in his portfolio of lithographs. After abandoning his family in England around 1841, he returned to Mexico accompanied with Alice Edwards, the young daughter of fellow painter. His time in Mexico had a great influence on his artistic process, as he took the decision to return to the country later in his life after his first trip to the nation. The paintings depicts a peaceful scene of the Valley of Mexico, where in the foreground a small improvised settlement can be seen, with a few figures going on about their daily activities, bringing a human feature into the striking landscape. The middle ground slowly opens into the valley, full of nature and little signs of the incoming industrial revolution, which would happen years later. In addition, the background is composed by distant mountains which can be theorized to represent Popocatepetl and Itzaccíhuatl, the active volcano and the mountain featured in a famous Mexican legend. This is due to the fact that records exist of his visit to the valley during his first visit to the country in 1834. Egerton's use of color is highlighted in this painting, as his creation of depth and careful balance of light and atmospheric perspective perfectly reflect the fascination of the population at the time about the country, and serves a a valuable visual record of the 19th-century Mexico.