Las exequias de Isabel de Farnesio en Guatemala, 1767-68.

Abstract

Royal exequies in the Spanish-speaking Americas are a derivative of the European tradition, both in the form and the contents included in this type of mournful celebrations. In the case of deceased queens, in the majority of instances the exequies wind up being a kind of praise in order to render tribute to the monarch, whether currently reigning, as in this case, or the heir to the throne. These solemn festivals are a window display of a symbolic expression that reveals the utilization of European repertories inherited from the European and Spanish tradition. One of their most prominent features are the hieroglyphs that constitute a deeply rooted tradition in funeral exequies, as a way to praise and glorify the life and actions of the deceased. These hieroglyphs are based on the emblematic repertory that has manifested itself over the course of centuries in all the European and American territories. In this case I study the eighteenth century figure of Isabel de Farnesio and the celebrations that took place in Guatemala City.