Title: A Very Large Peruvian Painting

Abstract: This talk is in some ways about a missing object in search of a satisfying narrative frame. More concretely, it’s about a painting. The painting was made in Lima in 1791, and was intended to be sent to King Charles IV of Spain, but, as a result of a series of unfortunate occurrences, ended up in Britain. Where it is now we have no idea. Perhaps it no longer exists at all. So in part this talk is about how to write the history of something that perhaps doesn’t exist anymore.