The New World, the Militant Virgin, and the Court of Madrid Lecture

With Jeffrey Schrader, Associate Professor of Art History, University of Colorado Denver In the seventeenth century, the Spanish government enlisted the Virgin Mary to shield the New World from hostile powers. The initiative reached its height from 1633 to 1643, when ceremonies elevated Marian images to an unparalleled role in statecraft. The court of Madrid designated a statue known as the Virgin of Atocha to protect Spanish America. Her transatlantic powers developed and inspired further reliance on miraculous images in reinforcing the territorial integrity of Spanish realms. This presentation examines the history of artworks that mediated or documented this heavenly covenant. Reception at 6:00pm. Lecture at 6:30pm. FREE to students and Museo/Amigos members, $10 for general public. Light appetizers and refreshments provided. Sponsored by the Amigos de las Artes Americanas and Museo de las Americas.