Santa María de los Ángeles: the iconographic type of La Puebla de los Pardos in Costa Rica

Overview

This article examines the construction and consolidation of the iconographic type attributed to Santa María de los Ángeles in La Puebla de los Pardos, Costa Rica, across a historical span from the seventeenth century to the contemporary period. The study focuses on how a distinctive Marian iconographic type developed and became established within Costa Rican religious and cultural contexts, differentiated through specific visual attributes and compositional conventions that distinguish it from representations of the same Marian title venerated in other geographic and ecclesiastical contexts.

Methods and approach

The research employs comparative iconographic typology methodology to analyze multiple visual representations of Our Lady of the Angels as venerated in Costa Rican contexts. Through systematic comparison of diverse artistic expressions and iconographic iterations, the study identifies recurrent visual attributes, aesthetic compositional structures, and formal characteristics that define and constitute the distinctive Costa Rican iconographic type. This methodological framework facilitates the discernment of what visual elements and organizational principles distinguish this specific Marian representation from analogous titles venerated in other national and international ecclesiastical traditions.

Results

The investigation establishes that Santa María de los Ángeles of La Puebla de los Pardos possesses a consolidated and recognizable iconographic type characterized by specific attributes and aesthetic compositional conventions. These distinctive visual and formal characteristics have enabled consistent identification and visual recognition of this Marian representation within Costa Rican populations. The study demonstrates substantial differentiation between this iconographic type and representations of Our Lady of the Angels venerated under the same title in churches throughout other countries, indicating that regional, cultural, and ecclesiastical contexts have produced distinct visual traditions despite shared Marian titles.

Implications

The findings contribute to the understanding of how religious iconography operates at local and regional scales, wherein shared theological references and Marian titles undergo distinct visual codification and aesthetic realization based on particular historical and cultural contexts. The research underscores the capacity of visual representation systems to function as markers of religious identity and cultural specificity, whereby iconographic conventions facilitate both recognition and differentiation. The study provides evidence that Costa Rican religious culture has developed autonomous iconographic traditions capable of distinguishing its sacred imagery from corresponding representations in other geographic and ecclesiastical domains.

Disclosure

• Research title: Santa María de los Ángeles: el tipo iconográfico de La Puebla de los Pardos en Costa Rica
• Authors: Luis Carlos Bonilla Soto
• Publication date: 2026-01-21
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.15359/siwo.19-1.2
• OpenAlex record: View
• Image credit: Photo by Dolina Modlitwy on Unsplash (Source • License)
• Disclosure: This post was generated by artificial intelligence. The original authors did not write or review this post.