Christianity, the Spanish Empire and Post-colonial Theory in the Inca Territory

Student lecture by Stephanie Quichimbo ’25, Robert F. Reiff Curatorial Intern.

Pre-colonial and post-colonial South American art differ greatly in medium, with a shift from stonework and textiles to paintings, reflecting changes in subject matter and ideology. Our Lady of Cocharcas exemplifies how cultural hybridity influenced colonial art, as indigenous communities may have adopted European figures to assert their identity while outwardly conforming to Spanish rule.