Mexico, 18th Century
Silk-twist painting; silk and silver threads, pictorial cartouches painted on silk, (lettered) vellum inserts
17 x 14 inches, and framed
Inscribed on vellum insert in cartouche at bottom: VEN. JOANNES DE PALAFOX EPISCOPUS ANGELOPOLITANUS ET POSEA OXOMEN In the open book below the portrait: Annotationes in Eplas Seraph...Virg. S.Thereliæ At lower right: Caje(t?)anus Patí
Juan de Palafox y Mendoza (1600-1659), diocesan priest, Bishop of Puebla, and even Viceroy for five months, was one of the most important Spaniards in Mexican history, in part for the breadth of his accomplishments there. Palafox's activities in Puebla in the 1640's went beyond ecclesiastical and political administration and reformation, though he enthusiastically pursued both. His foundation of schools and library, the Biblioteca Palafoxiana, would become important aspects of Puebla's cultural development. The library he founded was begun with the donation of his vast personal collection of 5000 volumes. The further growth of that library led to its renown as the most important one in Latin America for theology, philosophy and languages. Palafox's library is housed in a now historic building, and is still in use today. This depiction of Palafox is made by laying silk twist threads, painted silk fabric, and vellum over an engraving. It is likely that the format of the print is a frontispiece from a printed book, and was probably made to commemorate the publication (1762) of his collected works.
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