The Virgin of Macana was made during the 18th century and it was designed to tell the history of the Pueblo Revolution. The revolution took place because the Native Pueblos wanted to regain their independence. This painting is meant to tell the story of the revolution that took place. Since there were not many pieces of artwork of the revolution it makes this painting so much more important. Statues of the Virgin Mary, Jesus, and saints were a very popular genre that was transported to the Spanish viceroyalties. To me, statues that include the important figures are symbols of hope, when one is struggling they often look to the higher for hope and help. This painting tells the story of what the Native Pueblos went through during the revolution. In the painting, Mary is shown as a statue and she is also bleeding from her head. She is shown to be wearing a crown that symbolizes that she is from a higher power. Mary is also holding a macana which is a wooden weapon that has obsidian blades. This weapon was not used by the Pueblo people. Mary takes the main focus in the painting because she is standing on a pedestal in a dress and a blue mantle. On the bottom of the pedestal is a crescent moon, she is standing on it to symbolize her purity and immaculate conception. Two men are kneeling to her on either side. The first is a Franciscan Friar and the second is an Indigenous man. The first man has a macana and is symbolizes the Spaniards, whereas the other man symbolizes the Puebloans. Behind these two men, you can see a battlefield scene where the natives are throwing stones at the Spaniards to try and fight back against the gunfire. Many of the Spaniards are wounded very badly on their heads and have arrows in their hearts. The painting also makes the Pueblo people look like barbarians who are killing the innocent. On the right side of the painting, there are men riding in on horses trying to stop the revolution from happening. At the top of the painting above all of the chaos, God is framed in the clouds. The painting is communicating that the battle was very violent and there were so many lives lost in it. It is also showing that the fighting can come to a halt when the higher powers are looked to. Both sides of the people fighting are kneeling to Mary as if to pray and praise her. The painting is saying to the Spanish that they came to fight for their independence and they were willing to do whatever it takes. The painting was intended to show people what happened when they wanted to rebel against the Spaniards and how violent it can get. The painting was also intended to make the Pueblo people look like barbarians because they wanted their independence. It was also intended to tell the history and how the lives were lost of men fighting. Overall the painting also shows how the higher power is watching over the revolution and is trying to bring them together in peace.
