One of the most interesting cultural trends in the conquest of Mexico was undoubtedly the invasion of European forms and styles that helped reveal the Renaissance to indigenous painters. Following the Conquest and the subsequent evangelisation process a new art form came into being born of a crossbreed of traditions and forms. Indigenous temples were destroyed and churches and convents were built on their sites with walls covered in frescoes illustrating different passages from the Scriptures. In a blend of time and space, colonial art fused together Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Mexican mythologies. The brushstrokes that decorated the walls of the churches and monasteries built by Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians created a melting pot of beliefs, styles and periods providing a new focus on western art.

The Eagle and the Sibyl takes us on a fascinating journey around churches, convents and rooms. Its captivating images and Sergio Gruzinski’s text provide an insight into a previously unknown and disturbing chapter of our culture.