Mateo Pérez De Alessio (1547–1616) - Virgo Lactans

- Oil on canvas. Re-stretched canvas.

- The arrival of the Italian master Mateo Pérez de Alesio in Lima at the end of the 16th century marked a fundamental milestone in the development of the visual language of the viceregal era—not only through the introduction of Roman-inspired Mannerist monumentality, but above all thanks to his decisive pedagogical influence. By establishing a thriving studio in the Peruvian capital, Alesio created a true practical academy where he trained numerous disciples as well as indigenous artisans, imparting to them the canons of composition, the elegance of Italian lines, and mastery of color. This educational work helped spread devotional models endowed with great iconographic power, which were assimilated and reproduced for decades by his circle of direct collaborators and local followers.

This refined *Virgin Nursing the Child* (*Virgen de la Leche*) is a perfect illustration of this fruitful pedagogical legacy; it is the work of a very close follower who faithfully captures the master’s sensibility. The composition bears a close resemblance to the famous prototypes housed at the Lima Art Museum (MALI) and the Pedro de Osma Museum, characterized by the intimate tenderness of the maternal scene, the attention to the anatomy of the Infant Jesus, and the delicate cascade of hair falling onto the cloak. The inclusion of elements such as the bouquet of flowers and the detail of the plate resting on the table attests to the way in which Alesio’s workshop codified an iconography dedicated to widespread popular devotion, which his successors were able to perpetuate with great finesse in the treatment of the material and exemplary technical rigor.

- Dimensions of the work without frame: 96.5 x 78 cm / 117 x 97.5 cm with an exclusive, custom-made frame.