Interior View of the Cathedral Basilica in Lima, Peru, by Painter Johann Moritz Rugendas, Goes to Auction

On Wednesday, November 13th at 7:00pm EST, at an event hosted by Morton Subastas in Monte Athos 179, Colonia Lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico City, a striking work of art by German painter Johann Moritz Rugendas will be put up for auction.

Lot 53, Johann Moritz Rugendas, Interior of the Cathedral of Lima, 1843, Oil on canvas; Estimate MXN $380,000 - MXN $500,000

Rugendas was a renowned artist of German origins, well-known for travelling extensively throughout the Americas in the 19th century. Much like his contemporary, Alexander von Humboldt, he fell in love with the continent and created numerous artworks depicting daily life in many countries of Latin America, such as Brazil, Mexico, Haiti, Chile, Peru, and others.

The painting to be auctioned is a detailed oil on a 63.8 x 48.8 cm canvas titled, “Interior de la Basílica Catedral Metropolitana de Lima y Primada del Perú” (“Interior View of the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Lima and Primada of Perú”), dated 1843. In this painting, you can observe a procession depicted in what are at once spontaneous as well as fleeting brushstrokes. This work of art is currently valued between 380,000 MXN and 500,000 MXN.  

Important works of art such as this one can be found in prominent museums like the Museum of History in Mexico, The Museum of Art in Lima, Perú, as well as the Museum of Beautiful Arts in Chile, among others.

Thanks to traveling artists such as Rugendas, people in 19th century Europe were able to observe precise visual imagery depicting daily scenes from the Americas. Through the artist’s eyes, exotic and unknown places were brought close to home.