Triumph of the Eucharist

Meant to instruct first, The Triumph of the Eucharist, also delivers a message of hope but also of power. The theme powerfully reflects the Church’s triumph over heresy especially during the complex and troubling Counter-Reformation period. One of the most influential and visually dazzling rendering of a such an important matter of faith was Peter Paul Rubens’s series of sketches for what would eventually become tapestries commissioned in the 1620s by the Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia, daughter of Phillip II, King of Spain, and destined for the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales in Madrid. Rubens, who hailed form Antwerp and was court painter to the Infanta, trusted diplomat, and knight of the Spanish crown, was the creative force behind the design of the program. Rubens influence in the arts of the Baroque is undeniable and his vast artistic production including his prints which were available in the Spanish colonial territories, made his ideas and designs available for both training and inspiration to the many native artists. The Triumph of the Eucharist in the Collection of James Li depicts one of the central themes in the series, the victory of light over darkness, hence the depiction of a royal chariot drawn by white stallions, banners fluttering as in battle, a chorus of angels, and most importantly, the Heavenly light and power of the Eucharist, the symbol of Eternal life, that overwhelms the composition, are illustrated with vigor but also delicate charm. The native artist has rendered small birds and animals as part of this scene as well as local flora which offers a glimpse of the artistic production in the Andean regions at that time.