John the Baptist with a Lamb in the Wilderness 1695 - 1705

Pedro Duque Cornejo made this pen and brown ink drawing of John the Baptist with a Lamb in the Wilderness in the 18th century. The image depicts John the Baptist, as a youth, with his lamb in the wilderness, but it also speaks to the role of the church in colonial Spain. The cultural codes here link the biblical figure of John the Baptist with Spanish imperial power. The imagery of sacrifice and redemption would have been especially relevant in the Viceroyalty of Peru, where Cornejo was based. The Baroque style he employs was embraced by the Catholic Church for its emotional and dramatic appeal. To understand this work more fully, we can research the history of religious art in colonial Peru, and the patronage networks that sustained artists such as Cornejo. We can investigate the role of religious imagery in promoting particular social and political agendas. By exploring these avenues, we can appreciate how art is embedded within broader social and institutional contexts.