Archangel with Sword and Scales (Cuzco School Style)
Painting on leather or canvas, format portrait • Anonymous artist, follower of the Cuzco School tradition
Style & Movement
Cuzco School / Viceregal Art Revival
Medium & Technique
Oil and gilded highlights, traditional South American viceregal painting technique
Creation Period
Mid to late 20th century (revival style)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 24 x 30 inches, vertical portrait format
Subject Description
Depicts an armed archangel, likely Saint Michael, adorned in elaborate 17th-century aristocratic military attire with feathered helmet, holding a raised sword and scales of justice, set against a dark, dramatic background with stylized wings.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good condition, well-preserved surface with minor age-related craquelure or texture inherent to the support material.
Estimated Market Value
300 - 600 USD
Auction Estimate
200 - 400 USD
Provenance History
Likely acquired as a decorative or tourist-market piece originating from Peru or Bolivia, reflecting traditional viceregal aesthetics.
Art Historical Significance
Represents the enduring legacy of the Cuzco School of painting, which blended indigenous Andean artistic sensibilities with Spanish Baroque iconography during the colonial period and continued through modern artisanal revivals.
Notable Features
Intricate gold brocade detailing, decorative star motifs on garments, and traditional representation of celestial warriors popularized in Andean colonial art.
Condition Issues
Minor surface wear, potential light abrasion along framing edges, typical aging of the painted medium.
Conservation Recommendations
Keep away from direct sunlight and high humidity. Frame behind UV-protective glass and maintain stable indoor climate conditions.