Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Aguascalientes. The Jesus Maria retablo

Our next couple of posts will focus on churches of note in Aguascalientes, the city and its hinterland, not already covered in our blog: 

In 1735, the foundation were laid for the Church of the Nazarene in the town of Jesus Maria not far from the city of Aguascalientes. Although some of the labor and material costs were raised by alms, much of the funding was provided by the priest Colon de Larreategui, a relative of Colon de Larreategui the wealthy merchant who underwrote several projects in the region.
The church was completed by 1750, and a grand retablo mayor was installed, designed and constructed by Juan Garcia de Castañeda in the celebrated Ureña Aguascalientes workshop.

Although there have been some later changes, most obviously in the center pavilion and possibly the upper pediment, the retablo bears key features associated with the felipense style.       Narrow estípites, emblazoned with the signature “winged circle” motif and headed by opulent, elongate Composite capitals, frame the curtained sculpture niches on either side. 


It is possible that this sumptuous work may, in fact, be one of the altarpieces originally created by the Ureñas and García de Castañeda for the cathedral in the city of Aguascalientes—one that was dedicated to San José and later reportedly destroyed. The statue of St. Joseph is especially fine, giving weight to the story.!

text © 2023 Richard D. Perry. Images courtesy of Nick Brooker and online sources.
look for our forthcoming story of Felipe de Ureña and ghis family

 Known as El maestro transhumante, the "peripatetic master", Felipe de Ureña was the most influential of the Mexican born architect /designers to introduce and expand the Churrigueresque or barroco estípite style into New Spain. During the second half of the 18th century, together with family members, he was primarily responsible for the spread and subsequent evolution of this ornate late baroque style into cities across Mexico, especially along the silver routes north of Mexico City. Primarily an innovative designer and fabricator of altarpieces, he later adapted the barroco estípite style as it was called, for church facades. His elegant and distinctive designs are recognized as the "felipense" style.
View these links to some other Ureña altarpieces: Rayas ChapelAguascalientesCataLa Valenciana

Friday, January 13, 2023

Chiapas. Cuxtitali

This charming little ermita church is located at the heart of a barrio on the northeast edge of the city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas. Built in the 1650s, it was originally subject to the nearby priory of Santo Domingo.
Cuxtitali is a classic pueblo-de-indios church, its simple nave covered by a pitched artesonado roof in the Chiapanec style. Brick buttresses reinforce the original adobe walls and an external stairway on the north side gives access to the raised, wooden choir.
    The facade is a rustic delight with ever changing colors. Recently, its naive architectural and decorative elements were picked out in baby blue against the brilliant whitewashed front. The rounded arches of the various openings—the doorway, the choir window, the side niches and the upper bell arcade—create a pleasing counterpoint to the grid of flat pilasters and string courses. Whimsical corner volutes and a zig-zag frieze energize the undulating gable of the espadaña, which is also accented by a trio of red bells. 
But the most intriguing feature of the facade is the cluster of naive stucco reliefs depicting the instruments of Christ's Passion. The sacred heart, embossed above the choir window, stands amid the scourge, the crown of thorns, the crowing cock and the hammer and nails, accompa-nied by a pair of hovering angels. A ladder and an overflowing chalice appear on the adjacent pilasters flanked by a folksy sun and moon.
Seasonal decoration of the church reaches its height during the barrio fiesta of El Dulce Nombre de Jesús, held early in January. At that time, the venerable statue of San Sebastián, which stands on an altar in the church, is dressed in an elaborately looped loincloth, Guatemalan style, in readiness for his saint's day at the end of the month.


text and images © 2023 Richard D. Perry
all rights reserved

Friday, January 6, 2023

Yucatan. Feliz Dia de Los Reyes

At the beginning of last year we decided after ten years to taper the posts on this blog. We have done this but at year's end still have a number of items to post which we will do over the next few months on an occasional basis.

Thanks again to all our readers who have supported us over the past decade.

As is our custom we mark January 6th, El Dia de Los Reyes with images of the Three Kings from different parts of Mexico.

This year we show a variety of folkloric figures from Yucatán.

Tizimín
Telchac
Temax
Chikindzonot
Ichmul
Izamal

Feliz 2023 a todos

images  ©1988/1990 Richard D. Perry