SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- The Mexican Museum announces a new exhibit Art of New Spain: Highlights from The Mexican Museum Colonial Collection. This exhibit explores Spain’s impact on Mexico’s artistic culture during the Colonial Period, which begins with Spain’s notable 16th century expeditions to Mexico and ends around the time of Mexico's victorious War of Independence in 1821. Visitors will also be encouraged to reflect on the important role that Roman Catholic missionaries played as spiritual leaders during this period, as well as how they used art to instruct the public.

Part of the Museum’s ongoing effort to display artworks from its world-class permanent collection, New Spain: Highlights from The Mexican Museum Colonial Collection includes breathtaking paintings, sculptures, and a built-in retablo, or altarpiece. The major themes in the exhibition are “Missionaries,” “The Retablo,” and “Techniques.” The exhibited works include selections from a recent bequest from David and Thea Ramsey, in honor of Lucille B. Eisenbach.

New Spain: Highlights from The Mexican Museum Colonial Collection is being presented by Guest Curator Teresa Jiménez-Millas, a private art conservator currently working with Molly Lambert, Architectural Conservation Inc., and Tracy Power Objects Conservation. Jiménez-Millas has worked on numerous Colonial Period pieces, including polychromed and gilded wooden sculptures, frescoes, and paintings.

Jiménez-Millas previously worked in Greece for the Greek Ministry of Culture in the Conservation Department of Byzantine Antiquities. Prior to that, she worked in Spain, focusing on the conservation of polychromed wooden sculptures and altarpieces, paintings, and ceramics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Art History from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid and a master’s degree in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Goods from the College for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Goods in Madrid, with a specialization in sculpture.

"The Mexican Museum has a unique collection of Colonial art that immediately captivated me. Working with such valuable and exciting artworks is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Jiménez-Millas. “New Spain: Highlights from The Mexican Museum Colonial Collection is an excellent representation of the journey taken by Mexican culture during the 16th through 19th centuries. This exhibition will transport museum guests on that journey.”