Colonial Cuzco Paintings

After the conquest of Mexico in 1521 and the Philippines in 1565, Spain dictated a global culture. The colonization of territories in the Americas, Western Europe, Africa, Oceania and the Pacific imposed the values of Spain, including Catholicism, while the extraction of resources reinforced the empire’s wealth and power. Unlike many styles that came out of European colonialism, such as British Colonial, Spanish Colonial furniture and architecture frequently mixed local heritage with the artistic traditions of Spain.

Spanish Colonial furniture was informed by the shifting styles of Europe as well as Indigenous culture. There were Inca tapestries depicting Spanish coats of arms and Baroque chairs adorned with tropical flora. The butaca, a low easy chair popular in the Caribbean, was inspired by Rococo’s curving forms and the shape of precolonial seating. In New Mexico, Pueblo artisans carved chests with patterns reminiscent of Anasazi art.

Even within the homes of the wealthy, furniture was usually restricted to necessities like benches, desks, cupboards and chests. These were often ornately designed and especially important for storing prized goods like textiles. Spanish Colonial houses were built with adobe and clay and tended to be minimally decorated, so the style’s heavily carved wooden furniture pieces stood out against a home’s white stucco walls.

The Spanish Colonial period mostly came to an end after the territories achieved independence from Spain. However, its aesthetics continued to influence Southwestern style and Spanish Colonial Revival style after Spanish Colonial style was used extensively at San Diego’s 1915 Panama-California Exposition.

Find a collection of antique Spanish Colonial chairs, tables, bedroom furniture and other furniture on 1stDibs.

When paired with the perfect frame, the right antique and vintage paintings and other wall decorations can either subtly showcase your personality or steal the show altogether. 

The earliest paintings were created on the walls of caves, proving even our ancient ancestors knew that striking artwork is meant to be on display. Cave paintings on an Indonesian island are reportedly older than the earliest cave art in Spain and France, and the figurative paintings back then were produced with inorganic pigments like iron oxide.

Later, the people of Ancient Greece — who learned about art from the Egyptians before them — conceived panel paintings of wax and tempera that were collected and publicly displayed. In the centuries that followed, artists would be commissioned to create large-scale wall murals and frescoed ceilings in sprawling European palaces and in the homes of the aristocracy.

Today, 1stDibs makes it easy for you to celebrate this rich history in your own home. Our collection of paintings includes Art Deco paintings, baroque art and a broad range of other categories. Search by material, period or other attributes to find the right fit — browse an array of 19th century landscape paintings in giltwood frames or abstract oil paintings and portraits made during the 1950s and ‘60s.

An understated contemporary work can complement your space’s color palette without drawing the focus away from the other pivotal design choices you’ve made over the years. Roy Lichtenstein’s Pop art, on the other hand, demands attention with its array of vibrant hues and subjects inspired by popular culture. 

Whether you aim to create a gallery in your home or build a single, stunning focal point, you can find what you’re looking for in an extensive inventory of paintings on 1stDibs.