attribute – quality, property, or characteristic of something
avant-garde – term that refers to innovative, experimental, or unconventional artists or works of art
cartouche – decorative panel in the form of a frame or scroll
criollo – person born in Latin America, usually of Spanish ancestry
crowned nuns – nuns depicted with flowered crowns that were worn, along with other objects, during their profession ceremony; the subjects of a genre of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Mexican portraiture
cubism – early-twentieth-century artistic style in which natural forms are broken into geometric shapes and shown from multiple points of view
death portrait – portrait of a deceased person that provided the memory of a loved one
donor paintings – genre of portrait that shows a religious figure flanked by those who commissioned the work in order to show their devotion or give thanks for a favor received
DNA – deoxyribonucleic acid, a molecule in the form of a twisted helix that is the major component of chromosomes and stores genetic information
escudo de monja – see nun’s shield
European academicism — styles taught and promoted by official art academies in Europe
expressionism – early-twentieth-century artistic style that emphasizes the artist’s subjective feelings and moods—often through distortion of form and color—rather than the realistic rendering of a subject
generic portraiture – portraits of types of individuals with distinctive traits
genealogy – study of the history of families and the line of descent from their ancestors
Libertador, El – title given to the South American independence leaders Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín
Maya civilization – an advanced culture in present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize, which was organized as individual city-states (Classic period, A.D. 200–900)
mestizo/mixed race – person of mixed Spanish and native ancestry
miniature portrait – a very small, detailed painting made to fit inside a locket or piece of jewelry Moche civilization – an advanced culture on the coastal plain of north Peru (A.D. 100–600)
monjas coronadas – see crowned nuns
nun’s shield – badge worn by nuns that depicted religious scenes official portraiture – portraits not intended to capture a person’s likeness but to represent the individual’s status
postmodern art – art developed after and often in reaction to modernism, characterized by diverse and multiple perspectives
true portraiture – portraits intended to convey the actual facial characteristics of an individual
viceregal period – era from early 1500s to early to mid-1800s during which colonies in North, Central, and South America were ruled by Spain and Portugal
viceroy – a governor who represents the sovereign (king or queen) in a colony or country
viceroyalty – the region governed by a viceroy
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Latin America has a long and rich tradition of
portraiture. For more than two thousand years,
portraits have been used to preserve the memory of
the deceased, provide continuity between the living
and the dead, bolster the social standing of the
aristocracy, mark the deeds of the mighty, record
rites of passage, and, in modern times, mock the
symbols of the status quo. Portraits connect the
individual to the family, the family to the community,
and the community to the nation. They bind together
disparate populations and help establish national
identity. Portraiture is an art form with which most
of us identify and is an expression that provides us
valuable insight into the lives and minds of the
artist and sitter, as well as their time and place.
This Family Guide is for kids and grown-ups to use together as they travel through Retratos: 2,000 Years of Latin American Portraits. Use this guide to look for key works in the exhibition and talk about what you see together. There are also fun art projects for you to do at home after your visit to the museum.
