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The 9 Most Famous José Juárez Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 9 works by José Juárez in our catalogue
In short
The Appearance of the Virgin and Child to Saint Francis (1000) is the José Juárez painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City. After it, the eye goes to Saint Justus and Saint Pastor (1653) and Saint Alexius (1653). Among the 9 works of José Juárez in our catalog, these 9 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1617 – 1662
Most works: Museo Nacional de Arte
Top 10 paintings by José Juárez, through the gallery's eye
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The museums that keep José Juárez's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by José Juárez | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Museo Nacional de Arte |
Mexico City | 8 | The Appearance of the Virgin and Child to Saint Francis, Saint Justus and Saint Pastor, Saint Alexius |
José Juárez across the years: the unique originals of each
Between 1650 and 1655, 6 years in all, José Juárez made every dated original shown here: a short span, followed year by year.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
José Juárez's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of José Juárez?Reveal the answer
The Appearance of the Virgin and Child to Saint Francis (1000), Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City. Saint Justus and Saint Pastor (1653) and Saint Alexius (1653) come next.
How many works by José Juárez are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 9 works by José Juárez, dated from 1650 to 1655.
Where can the most famous José Juárez originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Museo Nacional de Arte (Mexico City). The museum table above lists them all.
During which period did José Juárez create the best-known paintings?Reveal the answer
In 1650: 2 of the 9 works on this page were made then, The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence among them.
Which famous José Juárez painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence (1650) and the latest The Adoration of the Kings (1655).
What José Juárez originals can I see at the Museo Nacional de Arte?Reveal the answer
The Appearance of the Virgin and Child to Saint Francis, Saint Justus and Saint Pastor and Saint Alexius: the Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City holds 8 of the works on this page.
José Juárez: a portrait of the artist
The Dawn of a New Baroque
Mexico City, mid-seventeenth century. The air in the Franciscan Convent is heavy with the scent of incense and the weight of devotion. José Juárez moves through these spaces not merely as a spectator, but as a creator tasked with making the divine visible. He carries the legacy of his family, having trained within the workshop of his father, Luis Juárez. This lineage provides more than just technical skill; it offers a direct link to the evolving religious landscape of New Spain.
His brushwork begins to introduce a new energy to the local tradition. While much of the existing art relies on established patterns, Juárez pushes toward a style defined by chiaroscroll and dramatic light. He masters the application of oil layers to build texture, creating a sense of physical presence in his figures. In works like The Appearance of the Virgin and Child to Saint Francis, the contrast is sharp. The coarse, gaunt habit of the saint meets the luminous, flowing silks of the heavenly court. It is a tension between the earthly and the celestial, rendered through meticulous detail.
A Legacy in Pigment and Shadow
The studio of Juárez becomes a site of significant artistic transmission. He does not work in isolation; his influence extends to his student and heir, Antonio Rodríguez. The compositions he develops for major commissions—often for the Franciscan order—set a standard for the Mexican Baroque. His ability to capture movement is evident in Miracles of the Blessed Salvador of Horta. Here, the painting captures a multitude of the sick and needy, their expressions etched with a raw, human intensity that avoids mere sentimentality.
His technical repertoire includes:
- The use of deep, saturated colors to define religious narratives.
- A mastery of light and shadow to direct the viewer's eye toward central spiritual events.
- Detailed rendering of textures, from the fine silk of a child's suit to the weathered skin of a martyr.
As his career progresses, the works of Juárez become foundational to the development of art in Mexico. He draws upon European models, such as those by Francisco de Zurbarán, yet he adapts them to the local spirit. This adaptation ensures that his religious subjects resonate with the specific devotional needs of the viceroyalty. His presence is felt in the very architecture of the colonial church, where his canvases hang as windows into a structured, dramatic, and deeply felt spiritual reality.