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The Spanish conquest:

The end of the Inca is given when the first Spanish in 1526, on the coast of Ecuador. According to Inca traditions, the return of Viracocha be given and that historical premise confused the Incas brave white man who accepted without much resistance. The war between Huascar and Atahualpa had also weakened and under the leadership of Atahualpa, who showed great vision and progress, the empire sought to develop in peace and improve their living conditions. Agriculture had taken great preponderance in the system of terraces that allowed leverage the rugged Andean mountains. Production was safe and people had to feed and to make offerings to its kings and gods.Trying to maintain the domain as vast territory, Atahualpa, Quito birth, settled in Cajamarca, a city midway between Cuzco, or the current Tomebamba Cuenca and Quito. Until then the Spanish came to dethrone him. The white bearded man looked like the representation of Mr. Viracocha who returned and the horse was a figure too imposing for the Indians who just know. Also experienced firsthand the presence of gunpowder and muskets, strange instruments for a community that clung to nature and did not know these advanced techniques of conquest.Blasco Nuñez de Balboa had opened the way to the discovery of the Pacific from Panama. Francisco Pizarro had heard of the Inca Empire under the name of "Viru" original word "Peru" as a land rich in gold. The pilot Bartolomé Ruiz brought in a rickety boat to the coast of Manabi. The rain scared the conquerors, but Pizarro, on the island of Gallo cited thirteen of fame by drawing a line on the floor. Those who followed Tropic advanced by inhospitable to reach the Peruvian desert and settled in Piura. They were divided into two expeditions, Pizarro went to Cajamarca and took Benalcazar Sebastian north to get to Quito where Rumiñahui dominated the last general resistance.The Spanish brought these lands a language other than what we assume as their own, a religion that knew neither Indo-Americans, a more advanced culture that came from the oldest continent where civilizations flourished as the Greek and Roman art technologies in the navigation and transport and, of course, a social organization based on individualism, so different Inca system which rather resembled a socialist organization where everyone worked for everyone and for the Inca.Simultaneously, came new concepts of art, architecture and cultural expressions which melted beautifully with the expressions of Indian culture. The weight of the Catholic religion was reflected in the first steps of the conquest, with each conqueror was a priest willing to Christianize the "heathen" natives. So, cities are built from a main square where they always had strong predominance the presence of a temple. The city of Quito became famous, and in the colonial churches, by the art of their imposing stone churches made indestructible, adobe and wood, with imposing domes, pulpits, chapels and altars bathed in gold leaf which looked paintings and sculptures impressive. At the present time we are still proud of those churches that make up an artistic school named as Quito and reflected in the paintings and sculptures of images of celestial beings and saints who rose from earth by his virtues. Experts say that the temples of the Audiencia of Quito are not inordinately large as in old European cities where the human being is crushed and belittled. Here is a measure facilitating relationship believer's spiritual contact with God. Furthermore, the architecture of that time managed to overcome the Quito topography full of ravines and crevices.The priests led the buildings and were responsible for the part concerning design but became indigenous labor, including their artistic abilities. The year was 1535 when he had his first Quito pastor, Juan Rodriguez, participant one year before the founding of the city. In 1550 came the Bishop Diaz to end the Cathedral. Earthquakes have failed to bring down Quito churches under constant restoration as true symbols of our culture and our history.What was said to Quito is also true for the provinces, although for obvious reasons the city of San Francisco de Quito was destined to be the cultural center of the country and one of the most important colonized America. In parallel, the monasteries and convents made to accommodate priests and nuns who went to manage the cultural treasures of the time, ie paintings, sculptures and religious ornaments that over time have been gaining value.In the 16th and 17th centuries were not only homes and mansions or palaces, but instead took great development the fine art of painting and sculpture. Fray Jodoco Ricke, a Franciscan friar advanced was the one who brought the first seeds of wheat to the Americas, founded in Quito the first School of Fine Arts and Crafts was called San Juan Bautista, which was later renamed Colegio San Andrés. It was the cradle of painting Quito and here come the first names of Indian artists like Andres Sanchez Gallque, who worked under the direction of Father Pedro Bedon, magnificent Creole priest training and educational spirit. Noting the social differences of the time created the Confraternity of the Rosary to unite Spanish, Creoles and Indians under the command of Mary, seeking to eliminate differences.In the 17th century there is the figure of Miguel de Santiago, religious extraordinary painter whose works are recognized worldwide. With it we reach the maximum height of the Latin American art of the time and takes shape before the critics, the Quito school. Was indigenous and adopted the name of their Hernando de Santiago. Is famous for its paintings on the life of St. Augustine. Let rest in the cloister of the convent, like the Virgin of Flowers and other paintings.Also emerged sculptors carvers and engineers also worked on religious themes in Baroque style and working primarily in wood. They painted with natural colors, but the emphasis was on the silver and gold.Here stand Diego Olmos, better known as mestizo artist Pampite and famous for its vivid crucifixes .. Also Juan Martinez Montanes.In Cuenca said a great sculptor named Gaspar de Sangurima whose images had unparalleled expressive impressionist.In 18th-century painters are Bernardo Rodriguez, Manuel Samaniego and Jaramillo, sculptors Bernardo de Legarda famous for its virgin winged and Manuel Chili, better known as Cascapicara.In the 19th century begins Salas painters dynasty that left masterpieces.