Purgatories and Final Judgments: Devotions and the Mystique of the Heart in the New Kingdom of Granada
No. 39E (2009-11-01)Author(s)
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Jaime Humberto Borja Gómez
Abstract
Purgatories have traditionally been associated with a culture of fear. While there was not much painting on this subject in the New Kingdom of Granada, what did exist exhibited a complex theology that tried to show purgatories as a representation of the social body. One of the characteristics of these purgatories, and of other elements of the Four Last Things, like the Last Judgement, were their relationship with the Mystique of the Heart, one of the most widelyspread devotional themes during the colonial period. The mystical writing of nuns, edifying literature, sermons, and poetry dealt with a spirituality centered in the contemplation of the heart and elements stemming from it, such as blood. From these we can identify traits specific to colonial-era devotions. This article focuses on the interaction between written and visual images to identify characteristics central to these colonial cultural practices.