A priest from the order of Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic), from a group of drawings depicting Peruvian dress 1843 - 1853

This watercolor on paper is by Francisco Fierro, or ‘Pancho’ Fierro, and it's part of a series depicting Peruvian dress. Fierro, who was of mixed race, lived in a newly independent Peru, free from Spanish rule since 1821. Fierro’s work provides a glimpse into the diverse social strata of 19th-century Lima. Here, we see a priest of the Santo Domingo order, his somber habit reflecting the Church’s enduring presence in Peruvian life. But Fierro wasn’t simply documenting; he was also subtly commenting on the social dynamics of his time. As a person of color, his perspective offers an alternative to the dominant narratives of the European elite. Fierro seems to capture the essence of a society in transition, still grappling with the legacies of colonialism. Fierro’s drawings serve as a reminder of the complex interplay between identity, representation, and power in post-colonial Latin America. In his images we feel how people navigated their identities in a world shaped by both tradition and change.