Saint Joseph gently rests his hand on the shoulder of the Christ Child, who appears in a vivid red tunic. The intimate grouping, delicate haloes and carefully drawn faces create an image of paternal protection characteristic of devotional painting in New Granada.

Adrián Contreras-Guerrero’s study places the canvas within the artistic world of the Figueroa family and proposes Gaspar de Figueroa Saucedo as its author. Comparisons with works by Gaspar and Baltasar Vargas de Figueroa focus on the recurring facial types, gestures and treatment of the figures. The carved, gilded and red-painted frame, identified in the conservation documentation as original to the painting, preserves the conception of the work as a complete devotional ensemble.

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