Garden Party on the Terrace of a Country Home

Garden Party on the Terrace of a Country Home

about 1720-1730
Artist
unknown artist
Locale
Mexico City, Mexico
Country
Mexico
Object
folding screen, painted
Medium
oil paint on canvas with gold
Accession Number
2009.759
Credit Line
Gift of the Collection of Frederick and Jan Mayer

Unknown artist, Garden Party on the Terrace of a Country Home, about 1720–30. Oil paint on canvas with gold. Gift of the Collection Frederick and Jan Mayer, 2009.759.

Dimensions
height: 87 1/16 in, 221.1388 cm; width: 22 in, 55.8800 cm
Inscription
Numbers written on verso of panels in white chalk
Department
Mayer Center, Latin American Art
Collection
Latin American Art
This object is currently on view

After the Spanish occupation of the Philippines in 1561, Spain opened its own official trade route to Asia. In Manila, exotic Asian goods were loaded onto Spanish galleon ships and transported across the Pacific to Acapulco where they were offloaded on to mules for the overland trip to Mexico City where they might be sold. Remaining goods continued on to Veracruz  where they traveled to Spain via the Atlantic galleon ships.
  Inspired by Asian examples, colonial Mexicans used folding screens (known as biombos) to divide spaces, block drafts, and create privacy in their homes. This screen provides a glimpse into daily life. Clusters of people are shown enjoying a garden party on the terrace of a country home. They play cards, gamble, smoke, flirt, drink, and make music. There are only about a dozen screens in existence with scenes like this; all were made in Mexico City in the 1700s and most are in private collections. 
--Donna Pierce, 2015

Known Provenance
Gifted 23 December 2009 by Frederick & Jan Mayer to the Denver Art Museum. Provenance research is on-going at the Denver Art Museum. Please e-mail provenance@denverartmuseum.org, if you have questions, or if you have additional information to share with us.
Exhibition History
  • “Painting a New World: Mexican Art and Life, 1521-1821” — Denver Art Museum, 04/03/2004 – 07/25/2004
  • Meadows Museum, Dallas, 09/1/2004 – 10/31/2004

Some images in our online collection are at thumbnail size, in accordance with AAMD guidelines, because they are protected by copyright. The Denver Art Museum respects the rights of artists or their representatives who retain the copyright to their work. Other images represent the best photography available and should be used as reference images only. Please complete the Image Rights Request form if you want to request a high resolution image.