2022-2023
Art of the Spanish Americas

Elena Amerio, Marilynn Thoma Predoctoral Fellow

Elena Amerio, PhD candidate at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, has received an award to further the research and writing of her dissertation, which examines the circulation of Jesuit religious art and artists between Italy and the Viceroyalty of Peru during the 16th and 17th centuries. Amerio’s investigation hinges on the work of painter Bernardo Bitti and his followers, and leverages archival analysis from collections across Italy, Spain, and South America. Asked about the impact of the award on her scholarship, Elena said, “The Marilynn Thoma Fellowship in Art of the Spanish Americas will enable me to devote myself fulltime to my doctoral research… Moreover, the Thoma Foundation is held in great esteem by South American institutions and being a Thoma Fellow will enable me to establish new contacts with local and international institutions.”⁠