Lot Essay
Juan Rodrguez Jurez comes from a family of artists. His great grandfather Luis Jurez was already active in the first decades of the 17th century as were his grandfather and later his brother, both named Nicolas. Furthermore, his father, the famous painter Antonio Rodrguez was Juan's teacher.
Juan Rodriguez Jurez's most important commission is the series of paintings he did for the Retablo de los Reyes in the grand cathedral in Mexico City dated 1719 to 1720. For the Jesuit order he painted important compositions like La conversin de San Ignacio de Loyola and La aparicin de Cristo a San Ignacio. Although he is better known for his religious subjects he was considered one of the most important portrait painters in Mexico during the 18th century.
The present painting depicts an unusual iconography of San Francisco Javier as Buen Pastor. The saint is carrying a pagan on his shoulders making reference to his work as a misionary in Asia.
Juan Rodriguez Jurez's most important commission is the series of paintings he did for the Retablo de los Reyes in the grand cathedral in Mexico City dated 1719 to 1720. For the Jesuit order he painted important compositions like La conversin de San Ignacio de Loyola and La aparicin de Cristo a San Ignacio. Although he is better known for his religious subjects he was considered one of the most important portrait painters in Mexico during the 18th century.
The present painting depicts an unusual iconography of San Francisco Javier as Buen Pastor. The saint is carrying a pagan on his shoulders making reference to his work as a misionary in Asia.