Traces of History: Spanish Art in Mexico

The artistic milieu generated in the territory of New Spain would give rise to notable creative autonomy in the following centuries, during which the relationship with the Old World in terms of artistic influence varied from initial relative dependence to open exchange. After Independence in 1821, art in Mexico, as well as Spanish artists, turned their attention to international European currents. This apparent disaffection would be reversed after the Spanish Civil War. Then, the contributions of various protagonists of Spanish origin would once again become more visible, particularly through an avant-garde movement that displayed a fascinating ideological complexity, influencing the theoretical and aesthetic approaches of contemporary Mexico.

This study allows us to define the influence left by Spanish art, through some Spanish artists, on Mexican art.