Portrait of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

PORTRAIT OF SOR JUANA INES DE LA CRUZ; MIGUEL CABRERA, C.1750 C.E. OIL ON CANVAS, LOCATED IN MEXICO

• Famous depiction of the esteemed Mexican nun and writer. 
• Considered the first feminist of the Americas. 
• Rather than marry, she chose to become a nun so she could pursue her intellectual interests. 
• She corresponded with scientists, theologians, and other literary intellectuals in Mexico and abroad. 
• She wrote poetry and plays that became internationally famous, and even engaged in theological debates. knowledge of physics, philosophy, theology, and mathematics.
• Miguel Cabrera has never actually met sor Juana; Cabrera likely modeled this painting on images of male scholars seated at their desks.
• He possibly found inspiration in depictions of St. Jerome, the patron saint of sor Juana’s religious order. 
• Images often portray St. Jerome seated at a desk within a study, surrounded by books and instruments of learning. 
• Cabrera’s portrait differs from other nun portraits in several important ways. She looks towards us, her gaze direct and assertive, as she sits at a desk, surrounded by her library and instruments of learning. 
• The library here includes books on philosophy, natural science, theology, mythology, and history, and so it reflects the types of works in sor Juana’s own library. 
• Writing implements rest on the table, a clear allusion to sor Juana’s written works and intellectual pursuits.
• The books, the desk, the quills and inkwell aid in conveying her intellectual status. 
• The red curtain, common in elite portraiture of this period, also confers upon her a high status.