Plate 41: Saint Barbara: From Portfolio "Spanish Colonial Designs of New Mexico" 1935 - 1942

This anonymous watercolor titled "Plate 41: Saint Barbara: From Portfolio 'Spanish Colonial Designs of New Mexico'" invokes the complexities of cultural and religious syncretism that define the history of the Americas. Here, Saint Barbara, typically depicted with European features, appears with darker hair and complexion, challenging the conventional representation of religious figures. Her indigenous features are not just a superficial change, but an assertion of identity within a colonial context. The tower, a symbol of her imprisonment and martyrdom, stands beside her, yet she holds it with a gentle hand, suggesting a complex relationship with her own history. This image is one of resistance and adaptation, where the narratives of the colonizer are re-imagined and re-centered through the eyes and hands of the colonized. It invites us to consider the silent voices of those who adapted and endured, embedding their own identities within the imposed structures of belief.