There is astonishingly little literature in English on painting in the Viceroyalty of Peru. Published in association with the Cantor Center for Visual Arts, this exhibition catalogue explores a little known aspect of the history of art that is increasingly appreciated for its energy and originality.Although the initial impetus for paintings in South America was provided by artists who came from Europe, they were soon outnumbered by natives who become proficient in decorating churches and public buildings. The 56 paintings—never previously published—in the Thoma Collection offer an accurate and compelling survey of the diverse schools of painting that developed in the vast regions of the Viceroyalty which yielded the present day countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.Exhibition schedule: Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Stanford University September 20-December 31, 2006