ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the cultures of Latin America should be understood – like the characterization of many figures in Shakespeare’s plays – in terms that elude the dichotomy between ‘imitation’ and ‘creation’ that we have inherited from the Romantic ideal of originality. The principle at work in Latin American cultures is rather that of emulation (aemulatio), which is based on the notion of craftsmanship and technical mastery. The chapter illustrates this principle at work in the paintings of religious artists of New Spain – Antonio Rodríguez, Nicolás Enríquez and Cristóbal de Villalpando – as well as in early responses to the art and architecture of Michelangelo.
