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rePeru :the School of Cuzco, Andean Baroque style

Photographic reportage by Hervé HUGHES / hemis.fr

The Churches in Peru abound with wonderful colonial artwork andparticularly those of Cuzco and its sacred valley. In the footsteps ofthe conquistadors, the Spanish evangelists were spreading to thenew world the religious images coming from Europe. This explainsthe birth of the school of Cuzco in the 17th century bringing to theworld of art the Peruvian baroque style and its masters DiegoQuispe Tito, Basilio de Santa Cruz Puma Callao who would nevercease to paint the Virgin as an Andes beauty or a representation ofthe last supper which can be admired in Cuzco cathedral : the Christand his apostles are dining around a table where the main dish ofgrilled guinea pig– a culinary speciality of the Andes - is put centrestage! It is impossible not to be amazed by those paintings, frescoes,ornaments such as the ones South of Cuzco in the small baroqueChurch of the village of Andahuaylillas which is nicknamed the «Sistine Chapel of the Andes » because of its splendour and interiordecoration. A place not to be missed, 3300 metres high, down theAndes moutain range, the richness of Andean baroque art in the citywhich the incas called the «navel of the world» : Cuzco.

HEMIS_366077 : Peru, Cuzco Province, Andahuaylillas, Baroque Church covered of Baroque paintings and frescoes of Cuzco School of the 17th and18th centuries, considered as the Sistine Chapel of the Andes

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HEMIS_374086Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armaslit up

HEMIS_374074Peru, Arequipa Province, Arequipa, historical center listed as World Heritage byUNESCO, Santa Teresa Monastery, Baroque painting of the Cuzco School, the Virgin

HEMIS_442557Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Corpus Christifeast, for several days in June, parade through the streets, the Virgin and Saints ofthe city, St Sebastien

HEMIS_390567Peru, Cuzco Province, Huaro, Quechua Indian on the front of the church

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HEMIS_374130Peru, Lima, Pedro de Osma Museum, painting of the Cuzco School, the Virgin of LasNieves, 18th century

HEMIS_390588Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Our Lady of theAssumption cathedral, colonial baroque style built in the XVIth century

HEMIS_374126Peru, Lima, Pedro de Osma museum, Cuzco school painting, wedding of the Incaimperial descendants with the Cas Loyola y Borja, Inca dignitaries, detail, 18thcentury

HEMIS_390603Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas,Holy Week, Quechua Indian praying in front of a decorated cross

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HEMIS_374149Peru, Cuzco Province,Andahuaylillas, Jesuit Father Luis Herrera facing a Baroquefresco depicting the Hell painted by Indian painters of Cuzco School, of the end of the17th century

HEMIS_374181Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Santa CatalinaMonastery of the Dominican order, representation of a nun in her cell

HEMIS_374175Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de lasNazaneras, young Peruvian girl and her alpaca passing in front of a palace decoratedwith Inca symbols

HEMIS_366075Peru, Lima, Pedro de Osma Museum, painting of the Cuzco School, wedding of theInca Imperial descendants with the Cas Loyola y Borja, 18th century

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HEMIS_390594Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas,La Compania de Jesus church, built in 1650 on the site of an Inca palace, it has aBaroque facade

HEMIS_390591Peru, Cuzco Province, Andahuaylillas, the Baroque church covered with Baroquefresco paintings by XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries school of Cuzco, regarded as theSistine Chapel in the Andes, day of the Holy Cross (Santa Cruz)

HEMIS_366081Peru, Lima, historical center listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the CathedralMuseum, painting of the Cuzco School depecticting the Last Supper, in the middlecooked guinea pig which is still eaten by Quechua Indians nowadays

HEMIS_385798Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Easter,Easter Monday, the procession of Christ Earthquakes, patron of the city of Cuzco

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HEMIS_442511 : Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Corpus Christi feast, for several days in June, parade through thestreets, the Virgin and Saints of the city, St Blaise

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HEMIS_374115Peru, Cuzco Province, Houaro, church covered of Baroque paintings and frescoes ofCuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries, fresco depicting the Hell

HEMIS_390571Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armasilluminated, the fountain

HEMIS_374112Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Santa CatalinaMonastery of the Dominican order, the chapter house with Baroque friezes, StDominic and the Virgin

HEMIS_333777Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the city roofsand churchs surrounded by peaks which culminated at more than 4000m

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HEMIS_374087Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Calle San Blas

HEMIS_374102Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armaswith colonial architecture and its arches

HEMIS_374095Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Museum ofReligious Art from the Diocese, Lambari Collection, Baroque painting of the CuzcoSchool

HEMIS_374111Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Santa CatalinaMonastery of the Dominican order, the chapter house with Baroque friezes

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HEMIS_374109Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Santa CatalinaMonastery of the Dominican order, Baroque Christ

HEMIS_374110Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Santa CatalinaMonastery of the Dominican order

HEMIS_374108Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Santa CatalinaMonastery of the Dominican order, St Dominic

HEMIS_374106Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armaslit up

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HEMIS_374172Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, San AntonioAbad Chapel, detail of a golden Baroque altarpiece, St Paul

HEMIS_374178Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Museum ofReligious Art from the Diocese, Lambari Collection, detail of a 18th century Baroquealtarpiece, San Pablo (St Paul)

HEMIS_374173Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, San AntonioAbad Chapel, detail of a golden Baroque altarpiece, the Virgin

HEMIS_374179Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, San FranciscoChurch, painting of the Cuzco School depecticting the Last Supper, in the middlecooked guinea pig which is still eaten by Quechua Indians nowadays

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HEMIS_374182 : Peru, Cuzco Province, Houaro, church covered of Baroque paintings and frescoes of Cuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries, theHell

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HEMIS_295545Peru, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas, Our Lady ofthe Assumption Cathedral of Colonial Baroque style built in the 16th century

HEMIS_295546Peru, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas, Our Lady ofthe Assumption Cathedral of Colonial Baroque style built in the 16th century

HEMIS_374105Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas,Compania Church

HEMIS_374090Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, prayer in LaMerced Church

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HEMIS_374094Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armaswith colonial architecture and its arches

HEMIS_374039Peru, Cuzco Province, Andahuaylillas, Baroque Church covered of Baroque paintingsand frescoes of Cuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries, considered as the SistineChapel of the Andes, detail of a fresco depicting the Hell

HEMIS_374037Peru, Cuzco Province,Andahuaylillas, Baroque Church covered of Baroque paintingsand frescoes of Cuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries, considered as the SistineChapel of the Andes

HEMIS_374113Peru, Cuzco Province, Houaro, church covered of Baroque paintings and frescoes ofCuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries

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HEMIS_374114Peru, Cuzco Province, Houaro, church covered of Baroque paintings and frescoes ofCuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries

HEMIS_374119Peru, Cuzco Province, Kaninunka, the church shelters Baroque paintings andfrescoes of the Cuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries

HEMIS_374118Peru, Cuzco Province, Kaninunka, church covered of Baroque paintings and frescoesof Cuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries

HEMIS_374117Peru, Cuzco Province, Kaninunka, church covered of Baroque paintings and frescoesof Cuzco School of the 17th and 18th centuries

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HEMIS_374177Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de lasNazarenas, Monasterio Hotel settled in a 16th century monastery

HEMIS_374096Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de lasNazarenas, Monasterio Hotel settled in a 16th century monastery, vaulted room ofthe restaurant

HEMIS_374107Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, street peddlerpassing in front of San Pedro Church

HEMIS_374099Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas,Quechua Indian women discussing in front of Compania Church

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HEMIS_374168 : Peru, Arequipa Province, Arequipa, historical center listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Santa Teresa Monastery, Baroquepainting of the Cuzco School attributed to Quechua painter Quispe Tito, the Virgin

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HEMIS_390615Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armasilluminated, colonial baroque style Our Lady of the Assumption cathedral built inXVIth century and Compania church

HEMIS_380637Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas,Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral of Colonial Baroque style built in the 16thcentury, niche with the Holy Trinity

HEMIS_333774Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the arches ofPlaza de Armas with colonial architecture

HEMIS_333781Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, tourists at aterrace in Plaza San Blas

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HEMIS_374085Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas,young Quechua Indian girls

HEMIS_385803Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Easter,Easter Monday, Christ of the Earthquakes, Black Christ, head of the city of Cuzco

HEMIS_385807Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Easter,Easter Monday, the procession of Christ Earthquakes, patron of the city of Cuzco,district of San Sebastian brotherhood

HEMIS_442538Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Corpus Christifeast, for several days in June, parade through the streets, the Virgin and Saints ofthe city

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HEMIS_374185Peru, Lima, Pedro de Osma Museum, painting of the Cuzco School, the Virgin as achild spinning wool, 18th century

HEMIS_366080Peru, Lima, INC (Nationale for the Heritage Safeguarding), restoration of a Christstatue

HEMIS_374073Peru, Arequipa Province, Arequipa, historical center listed as World Heritage byUNESCO, Santa Teresa Monastery, Baroque painting of the Cuzco School, Madonnawith child

HEMIS_374075Peru, Arequipa Province, Arequipa, historical center listed as World Heritage byUNESCO, Santa Teresa Monastery, Baroque painting of the Cuzco School, nun withher jewels, 18th century

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HEMIS_374128Peru, Lima, Pedro de Osma Museum, painting of the Cuzco School, San Lorenzo (StLawrence), 17th century

HEMIS_374129Peru, Lima, Pedro de Osma Museum, painting of the Cuzco School, the Virgin of LasNieves, 18th century

HEMIS_374186Peru, Lima, Pedro de Osma Museum, painting of the Cuzco School, SantiagoMatamoros, St James, the Moors killer, 18th century

HEMIS_374127Peru, Lima, Pedro de Osma Museum, painting of the Cuzco School, Madonna withchild by Bernado Bitti, founder of the Cuzco School, 17th century

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HEMIS_385809 : Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, city listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Easter, Easter Monday, a procession of Christ onEarthquakes, patron of the city of Cuzco, entering the church of La Merced

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HEMIS_390532Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, La Mercedchurch

HEMIS_442492Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Corpus Christifeast, for several days in June, parade through the streets, the Virgin and Saints ofthe city

HEMIS_390528Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Plaza de Armas,La Compania de Jesus church, built in 1650 on the site of an Inca palace, it has aBaroque facade

HEMIS_390587Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, view on thehistoric center and Plaza de Armas

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