Imágenes sobrevivientes: Reflexiones sobre la colección pictórica del monasterio de Santa Inés de Montepulciano de Santafé de Bogotá

Abstract

The Dominican convent of Santa Inés de Montepulciano in Santa Fe de Bogota, founded in 1645 and still active, still retains much of its pictorial heritage held since the 17th century, despite adversities such as the exclaustration of the nuns in 1863 and the various relocations of the convent in the city in the twentieth century. The painting collection of these nuns constitute a unique case in Colombian patrimony because their collection of more than two hundred works include diverse iconographic subjects and formats, knowledge of which is enhanced by documentary and bibliographic archives that have also been carefully safeguarded by the sisters. Based on these distinctive features, the article presents the historical journey of the surviving pictorial heritage, which it has been possible to piece together since 2007, to offer a preliminary overall understanding of the body of work based on its iconography.