Bernardo Rodríguez (active in Quito, Ecuador, circa 1770) 'Saint Raymond of Penyafort' Oil on copper. 21 x 16,5 cm.   Attributed to the renowned painter Bernardo Rodríguez, an emblematic figure of the 18th-century Quito School, this work reflects his technical and artistic mastery and is executed in oil on copper. The precision of details and delicacy of brushwork suggest the piece probably dates to the mid-18th century. The artist’s draftsmanship is exceptional, evident in the composition’s impeccable organization and meticulous treatment of details. We compare this copper painting to other depictions of saints like Jerome and Augustine, also attributed to Rodríguez, which, alongside works of Saints Ambrose and Gregory the Great, form the series of the Four Fathers of the Church at the Museo de San Agustín in Quito (Ecuador). Such comparisons highlight Rodríguez’s skill in gilding and his ability to infuse artistic grandeur into even small-format compositions, as seen here. The portrayal of Saint Raymond of Peñafort adds unique dynamism through its maritime narrative and subtle landscape details. Similarly, the painting “Saint Anthony of Padua and the Miracle of the Resurrection” at Quito’s Museo Convento de San Francisco enriches this comparative analysis due to stylistic and compositional parallels with the depiction of Saint Raymond we have here. Though Saint Anthony is painted on canvas and lacks gilding, both works share remarkable precision in rendering the saint’s figure and a focus on spiritual depth. The treatment of facial features, posture, and drapery reveals evident similarities, pointing to stylistic coherence within the Quito artistic context. This context was deeply shaped by the expansion of Christian faith in Latin America and the use of art as an evangelizing tool. Such narratives were especially relevant in viceregal territories, where missionaries faced similar challenges. The Quito School, in this regard, adeptly adapted European influences into a visual language that responded to local spiritual and cultural needs. As noted by the Cervantes Virtual Center, “Bernardo Rodríguez, a muralist and painter, was a highly distinguished master among religious motif practitioners in viceregal Quito.” Supported by the Church throughout his career, he “enjoyed privileged opportunities to create canvases now admired in Quito Cathedral, the Museo de Arte Colonial, and the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana.” His impeccable craftsmanship was inherited by disciples like Quito’s Antonio Salas (1795–1860). Saint Raymond, clad in a Dominican habit brought to life through dynamic fabric folds, dominates the center of the composition. The marine backdrop, rendered in subtle blue and white brushstrokes, evokes serenity and depth. Distant ships reinforce the narrative of the miracle, while the gilded halo and reflections on the saint’s cloak showcase the painter’s flawless mastery of materials, achieving a luminosity that elevates the painting’s spirituality—a radiant “small window to heaven” brimming with vibrant color and light. The artwork depicts Saint Raymond of Penyafort (Vilafranca del Penedès, 1176–Barcelona, 1275), a 12th-century Dominican friar and canon lawyer, experiencing the miraculous event that occured in his life. King James I, who sought his counsel, once took him on a journey to Majorca, secretly accompanied by a woman with whom the king had an illicit relationship. Upon learning this, Raymond urged the king to dismiss her, threatening to leave otherwise. The king failed to comply, and responded by ordering that no ship carry Raymond home. Undeterred, the saint spread his cloak upon the water, transforming it into an improvised vessel to cross the Mediterranean to Barcelona—a testament to how true faith can calm even the stormiest waters. A Doctor of Canon and Civil Law, Raymond was acclaimed and chosen to teach at the University of Bologna, where his students were primarily nobles and scholars. After experiencing a vision of the Virgin Mary, he co-founded the Mercedarian Order with Saint Peter Nolasco to redeem captives from Muslim rule. Summoned to Rome by Pope Gregory IX, he served as confessor, chaplain, and penitentiary. He played a role in establishing the Inquisition in Aragon and compiled five volumes that became the most organized collection of church law until the 1917 Code of Canon Law. After a decade of writing, he was elected head of the Dominican Order, succeeding Saint Dominic, and retired at nearly 100 years old. He is the patron saint of canon lawyers, jurists, and legal institutions. He died on the 6th January 1275 and was canonized in 1601 by Pope Clement VIII.   Iconographically, the elements in the painting hold profound symbolism. The outstretched black cloak alludes to the miracle, while the maritime landscape, with its expansive horizon and traversing ships, adds narrative depth, situating the saint within a context of triumph and hope. Though rare, other depictions of Saint Raymond in Latin America include the portrait at Tlacochahuaya’s San Jerónimo Church in Mexico and the Convent of Santa Rosa de Lima in Santiago de Chile.   In essence, this small copper painting brims with life, movement, and perspective, its lapis lazuli blues and mastery of gilding and pointillism perfecting the saint’s figure. An 18th-century scalloped and gilded frame rounds off the composition,    Bibliographic References: - Centro Virtual Cervantes. (s.f.). “Bernardo Rodríguez”. https://cvc.cervantes.es/artes/ciudades_patrimonio/quito/personalidades/brodriguez.htm - Herrera, Lizardo. (2010). “La canonización de Raimundo de Peñafort en Quito. Un ritual barroco entre la exhibición y el ocultamiento (1603)”. Procesos, 32, II semestre 2010, pp. 5-32.  - Stratton-Pruitt, Suzanne. (2011). “El arte de la pintura en Quito colonial”. Saint Joseph’s University Press, Filadelfia.