Summary: The Spanish Influence On Andean Culture

However, though the Spanish’s influence upon Andean society was quite obvious from the late 16th century to the early 18th century, it was not overpowering towards the Andean people and their culture at the time. Incidentally, the Andeans were facing more of a transformation within their own culture through the incorporation of European culture practices into their own as noted by elements of color, perspective, and native additions seen in Cuzco School paintings. The Lord of the Fall painting, being done in Cuzco School style, provides many instances of Andean culture influences that incorporate themselves as well as challenge the European aspects within it. Though the three, somber-colored religious figures dressed in European-style clothing
In the article “Marcos Zapata Last Supper: A Feast of European Religion and Andean Culture” written by Christina Zendt, a popular Cuzco School version of The Last Supper by indigenous artist, Marcos Zapata, is featured as being a “culturally hybrid and culinarily delightful representation of the Last Supper” and “a stunning example of the mixing of European and local traditions in the Cuzco School of painting” (Zendt 2). The Last Supper is a popular painting that originated in Europe that features the biblical scene of Jesus and his 12 disciples partaking in their last supper together. Originally, the piece depicts the group before a table littered with various European native foods such as fruits native to the area as well as bread and red wine. However, Zapata’s variation of the piece features a different kind of delicacy on the table; a cuy, or guinea pig. This food is a Peruvian delicacy and by Zapata implementing his own cultural customs into the Last Supper versus going with the European tradition shows that during that century in the Andes “through imitation, artists learned the technical skills necessary to make alterations and invent their own style” (Zendt 2). The Lord of the Fall, while not known to be a
Coupled with the intent and determination of one’s own will power and desire of empowering one’s own culture through transformation produces something that is beyond mere words to describe. The Andean people were able to take the remnants of the events of Spanish conquests, events so horrid and twisted, with their own hands and sculpt them into a style of art that celebrates pride, power, and resilience of the Andean culture. By manipulating the rigid, dull elements of European style paintings, the Andean people added their own embellishments and made something that was once foreign and negative into a style of art, Cuzco School art, that proudly reveals parts of their rich culture and belongs to them. Keeping with their positive and resilient perspectives, the Andean people prove to be a prime example of just how powerful a sheer viewpoint can be against negative power and influences of those who may try to snuff the light of ingenuity and pride out of those who carry