FOR THE HONOR AND GLORY OF THE ORDER: THE PAINTINGS OF THE GENEALOGIES OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS IN THE QUITO CONVENTS DURING THE BAROQUE

Abstract

During the seventeenth century, the male religious orders established in Quito commissioned large paintings to decorate the stairwells of their monasteries, representing the family trees of each religious order. Following the example started by the Dominicans, both Augustinians and Franciscans wanted to show to the local monks their family trees with their most prominent members. Mercedarians would add to this trend in the next century. They were inspired to compose these paintings both in the iconography of the Tree of Jesse and the Flemish and Italian prints that circulated all over the overseas territories. In this paper we study these paintings as well as some versions in canvas and sculptures made in the late viceregal period.