Twelve 19th-Century Paintings That Forged Mexico's National Identity After Independence
On September 27, 1821, Mexico achieved independence from Spain, concluding three centuries of colonial governance. However, the challenge of uniting its citizens persisted, as political factions divided into liberal and conservative groups. Financial constraints led to the Academy of San Carlos ceasing operations until 1843, when President Santa Anna allocated lottery funds to restore it. The 1860s saw the rise of nationalistic history painting, supported by the government for international exhibitions. Notable artworks from this period include José María Jara's 1889 depiction of Tenochtitlan's founding, José María Obregón's The Discovery of Pulque (1869), Leandro Izaguirre's 1893 portrayal of Cuauhtémoc, Félix Parra's The Massacre of Cholula (1877), and José María Velasco's The Metlac Ravine (1893), representing modernization.
Key facts
- Mexico gained independence from Spain on September 27, 1821, after 300 years of colonization
- Art production at the Academy of San Carlos stalled until 1843, when President Santa Anna granted it lottery organization
- Nationalistic history paintings began appearing in the 1860s, sponsored or acquired by the government
- José María Jara painted The Foundation of Mexico Tenochtitlan in 1889
- Leandro Izaguirre's The Torture of Cuauhtémoc dates to 1893
- Félix Parra depicted the October 18, 1519 massacre at Cholula in an 1877 painting
- José María Ibarrarán y Ponce's Charity in the First Times of the Church was shown in Paris in 1889 and Chicago in 1893
- José María Velasco's The Metlac Ravine appeared at the Paris International Exhibition in 1889 and 1900
Entities
Artists
- José María Jara
- José María Obregón
- Leandro Izaguirre
- Daniel del Valle
- Rodrigo Gutiérrez
- Félix Parra
- Patricio Ramírez y Ortega
- José María Ibarrarán y Ponce
- José María Velasco
- Joaquín Ramírez
- Petronilo Monroy
- Salomé Piña
- Tomás Pérez Viejo
- Antonio López de Santa Anna
- Benito Juárez
- Maximilian I
- Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
- José María Morelos y Pavón
- Agustín de Iturbide
- Ignacio Allende
- Vicente Guerrero
- Mariano Matamoros
- Cuauhtémoc
- Moctezuma II
- Fray Bartolomé de las Casas
- Hernán Cortés
- Maxixcatzin
- Xicoténcatl Axayacatzin
- Tetlepanquetzal
- Tenoch
- Cuauhtloquetzqui
- Xóchitl
- Tecpalcatzin
- Huitzilopochtli
Institutions
- Academy of San Carlos
- MUNAL
- National Institute of Anthropology and History
- Google Arts and Culture
- Gobierno de México
- The Collector
- 3 Museos
- Picryl
- Flickr
- Wikimedia Commons
Locations
- Mexico
- Mexico City
- Tenochtitlan
- Tlaxcala
- Cholula
- Puebla
- Tula
- Chapultepec
- Metlac Ravine
- Pico de Orizaba
- Spain
- France
- Paris
- Chicago
- United States
- Imperial Palace