Treasures of Mexico City: Tepepan

On a trip to document the carved stone crosses of the Mexico City area, we visited the singular church of Santa María Tepepan, near Xochimilco in the southern part of the city—another in our occasional series on distinctive and historic Mexico City colonial monuments.

©Felipe Falcón

Santa Maria de la Visitación Tepepan

The unusual placement of this church on an elevated site is in part due to the fact that the hill upon which it rests was formerly a popular shrine to the Aztec mother goddess Tonantzin.

   Under the impetus of Fray Pedro de Gante, the pioneering Franciscan educator, this site, sacred to a female deity, was appropriated for a 16th century shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, for whose construction the traditional stone working skills of the local native artisans were redirected.

   Several colonial art works of interest are found in the church and its precincts:

First, the former stone atrium cross is now raised above the entry gateway. Similar in style to the early Franciscan cross at San Juan Coyoacán, it features an eroded, stylized crown of thorns at the axis. The bulbous head and arms of the cross terminate in flared, forked finials with protruding buds, and feathery reliefs anchor the foot of the cross.

The imposing but generally undistinguished church front is dominated by its sober tezontle doorway, and the twin, moorish style windows to either side—part of a later remodel. 
   However, the principal item of interest in the facade is the finely textured, early stone statue of the richly robed Virgin in the center niche, standing on a globe supported by St Francis—another testament to local artistry.

©Felipe Falcón

Inside the church an unusual, screen like, gilded retablo in intricate late baroque style showcases an exquisite painted alabaster statue of the Virgin Mary with Child, likely dating from the 16th century.  

   Housed in a center niche elaborately framed by pilasters with atlantean figures, the figure of the Virgin is again shown upheld by a kneeling St Francis—a sculpted image of later origin.

©Felipe Falcón

Polychrome busts occupy the surrounding niches, and overhead, a large panel of the Trinity with a crown underscores the theme of the Coronation. The outer wings of the altarpiece house large, ornately framed, late colonial paintings portraying the early life of Christ and the Virgin.

©Felipe Falcón

Frescoes along the nave, both colonial and post colonial, include a folkloric painted wall retablo with archangels displaying the Instruments of Christ’s Passion.

Finally, the baptismal font at Tepepan is a rare, possibly unique example of an early glazed ceramic font. It is dated 1599 by an inscription at the base—a time when ceramic work on this scale was uncommon in Mexico (it was formerly thought to be a Spanish import). 
   Prominent Franciscan knotted cords encircle the bowl which is inset with winged cherubs and an attached oval cameo of Christ. The separate supporting column is also adorned with angels and festoons.

text © 2015 Richard D. Perry. images by the author and courtesy of Felipe Falcón

Please visit our other pages in this series: San Bernardo; San Pablo El Viejo;

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Treasures of Mexico City: San Felipe Néri - El Nuevo.

San Felipe Néri - El Nuevo

In its early years the Oratorian order of San Felipe Néri moved from place to place in Mexico City. This peripatetic history led to the name of the Order being attached, confusingly, to several churches in the city center, among them the iconic former Jesuit church of La Profesa.

   First a church was built in the 1660s on the now Calle República de El Salvador, with an adjacent hospice, later enlarged to include the present cloister. This church, known as San Felipe Néri El Viejo, collapsed in an earthquake.

   Construction of a new temple began in 1751—dubbed San Felipe Néri El Nuevo—on the adjacent site, to a design by the eminent Mexican architect Ildefonso de Iniesta Bejarano y Durán. 

   This church too succumbed to another temblor in 1768, when the roof fell in, with its facade still unfinished. The intended statue of the founder in the grand upper niche, remains a block of stone.

   The Oratorians then abandoned the building, moving to the recently completed church of La Profesa, just evacuated by the Jesuits who had been recently expelled from Mexico.   

   However, most of the unfinished facade of San Felipe Néri El Viejo survived, which, with the exception of the gable added in modern times, is the one we see today.

This imposing front is unusual in that its sophisticated Churrigueresque facade and lateral doorways are set against a background of dark red volcanic tezontle—a technique and style generally associated with buildings of the previous century.

   An exceptionally tall, simple arched entry defines the elegant facade, rising via a mixtilinear Moorish frame to the spectacular oval relief of the Baptism of Christ above. This relief is accompanied by life-size statues of two archangels—the only remaining sculptures in the facade.  

   The entry is flanked on either side by pairs of highly ornate estípite columns, which in turn enclose even more complex niche-pilasters (interestípites) now void of statuary but replete with layered, broken cornices, multiple scrolls and dripping with lambrequins. The broken lines and the rich layering of architectural elements throughout the facade adds to the depth and nervous complexity of the composition. 

image by Ismael Rangel Gómez

complex lambrequin 

facade: lateral entry

Scrolls, ovals and layered pediments also bedeck the lateral doorways, whose coffered pilasters lend a more classical look.

The interior currently houses the Biblioteca Lerdo de Tejada, its former nave walls covered with lurid, pseudo revolutionary murals by Vlady.  However, the current physical deterioration of the building threatens this use and even its structural integrity unless restoration measures are urgently taken.

Please check out our other posts in this series: San Bernardo; San Pablo El Viejo;

text and images © 2015 by Richard D. Perry except where noted

Missions of Michoacán: Santiago Angahuan

The Paricutín volcano erupting, as seen from Angahuan (photo by Juan Rulfo) 

In  our previous post we explored the abandoned colonial church of Parangaricutiro. Here we look at its neighbor, the 16th century mudéjar mission of Santiago Angahuan, situated within sight of Parangaricutiro. 

   Angahuan lies at the heart of the Tarascan hill country and, like the surrounding lava fields, is predominantly charcoal-colored, looking more like a Welsh mining town than a village in Mexico. 
The streets are cobbled with basalt blocks and the distinctive local houses, known as trojes, are built of stout pine logs with steeply-pitched shingle roofs and covered verandas. 

Angahuan, the church doorway (image © Felipe Falcón)

In contrast to these gray surroundings, the women of the village wear brightly colored satins, usually with woollen rebozos or shawls to keep out the highland chill.

   The mission town was founded in the 1540s by the aristocratic Dane Fray Jácobo Daciano, who is buried in nearby Tarecuato. Construction of the mission, with its adjacent hospital and chapel, followed soon afterwards. 

The church faces a large atrium in which stands an old stone cross, and the 16th century guatápera hospital and chapel still stand near the church, across a street that now bisects the atrium.

The Atrium Cross

Probably dating from the 16th century, this unique, battered cross, elevated on a high masonry base in front of the church, features a unique combination of not fully decipherable reliefs, strikingly reminiscent of ancient Tarascan glyphs and undoubtedly carved by a native artisan.
   Rectangular in section, the cross has a broken off head and lacks finials. However, what remains features an unusual, projecting “cross within a cross” design, whose notched outer borders may represent corn plants.
   From the four-petaled cross motif at the axis, stylized, almost geometrical reliefs of grape vines extend propeller like in all four directions. Curious checkerboard panels at the ends of the arms and in mid-shaft may signify highly abstracted Christ's wounds.
The simplified skull and bones on the lower shaft are arranged in a tic-tac-toe pattern between circles.

(photo by Juan Rulfo) 

The Church of Santiago
Flanked by an open chapel and convento, the church of Santiago is distinguished by its extraordinary mudéjar facade—one of the most archaic in Mexico. 
   Hewn from reddish black basalt and dramatically set against the whitewashed west front, the geometrical facade rises in three stages, each framed by a projecting alfiz. It is densely sculpted with reliefs similar to those of the Guatapera chapel doorway in Uruapan, and although it may lack the sculptural finesse of Uruapan, the Angahuan facade is vigorously detailed in sharply undercut tequitqui relief. 
   Foliated grotesques, gripped by several angels, swirl about the tasseled Franciscan cord carved on the doorjambs. The medallions on the bases and capitals are also framed by twisted cords with penitential knouts, while others with cherubs and floral motifs fill the beaded alfiz overhead. 

image by Niccolò Brooker

An archaic Latin inscription above the densely carved archway proclaims St. James the Apostle (Santiago Apostol) as the patron of the church, probably in honor of his namesake, Fray Jácobo (James) Daciano:  "SANCTO JACOVO APOSTOL MAYOR"

  Perhaps because of this connection, the primitive attic relief depicts the saint as a humble, barefoot pilgrim instead of the sword-wielding horseman of his more common alter ego, Santiago Matamoros (St. James the Moor-slayer). 

   Paradoxically, especially for a church dedicated to St. James the Apostle, whose principal attribute was the pilgrim's scallop or cockleshell, the Angahuan facade displays none of the scallop shell reliefs so common among other 16th century churches in Michoacán. The triangular crowning pediment is a later addition.

image by Niccolò Brooker

The Interior
The interior of the church looks as archaic as the exterior. Although a modern, wooden barrel vault has replaced the old hipped roof, most of the 16th century wooden frieze is still in place along the roofline. 

A long, partially deciphered inscription, in a condensed style like that of the facade and marked with the date 1557, runs along the entire roofline, again invoking St. James as protector of the village. 

image by Niccolò Brooker

Although it features no narrative images like other Michoacán ceilings, the artesonado ceiling above the main altar is another intriguing mudéjar survival. 
   Shaped like a truncated pyramid, its four sloping sides (faldones) are divided by carved ribbon cornices, cords and ornamental scrolled beam ends. Each panel contains Franciscan insignia or religious monograms composed of intricate strapwork painted red, brown and gold. 
   Framed by winged cherubs in each corner, the complex center panel, or almizate, features the papal tiara linked by banderoles 
to four spiky crowns of thorns—evoking the theme of Christ's Passion as well as the Franciscan emblem of the Stigmata.

Santiago Matamoros

A baroque retablo in provincial style stands in the apse, framed by estípite columns and a scrolled pediment, upon which rest several modern santos, notably an equestrian figure of the more militant Santiago Matamoros.

A striking group of wooden cristos de caña in the naturalistic Patzcuaro style creates a powerful impression on the visitor. 
   The most expressive of these scarred figures hangs above a great carved stone font in the baptistry, which may have functioned as the open chapel in former times.

The Open Chapel

An integral part of the original mission, the raised open chapel was attached to the north side of the church. The ornamental upper colonnade, originally used as a preaching gallery, is divided by a bulbous column, and the similarly divided lower opening is now spanned by stone corbels.  The squat bell tower is a later addition. 
   The two story convento on the south side of the church features an exterior balcony with Tarascan style wooden balustrades and 

overhanging eaves. Similar rustic galleries face three sides of the interior patio.

For a recent compilation of images of the people and churches of the region, including several mentioned in our posts, check out the video by Quin Matthews, who accompanied the author on one of his journeys through Michoacán.

text © 2015 Richard D. Perry.  images by the author except where noted

Missions of Michoacán: San Juan Parangaricutiro

El Santuario de San Juan at the time of the 1943 eruption before burial by the lava flow

In February 1943 the new volcano Paricutin burst forth from the earth, engulfing the town of San Juan Parangaricutiro—also known by its quaint colonial name of St. John of the Bedspreads—in a black tide of lava. 

San Juan Parangaricutiro, main plaza with atrium cross during the eruption

The townspeople hastily abandoned the settlement, pausing only to retrieve the crucifix that stood before the main altar of the parish church. 
   Fleeing to nearby Angahuan, the weary refugees celebrated Mass before the church door to give thanks for their deliverance and that of their beloved Cristo de los Milagros. Today, the santo is installed in the church of a new settlement, Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro, located west of Angahuan.

    Although originally founded by the Franciscans in the 1530s, the church we see today at Parangaricutiro dates from the mid-1600s, built by the Augustinians to house the miracle working crucifix of El Señor de Los Milagros, an image which attracted adherents and pilgrims from across Mexico. Construction nevertheless proceeded slowly over the century and even beyond, remaining unfinished even at the time of the eruption—the south tower (torre mocha) was never completed.

    In fact, the Sanctuary of Our Lord of the Miracles (El Santuario de San Juan) presents architectural features unlike any other church in the state of Michoacán.  In the first place the scale of this pilgrimage church is enormous for the relative size and remoteness of the community, both in its length and design.

El Santuario de San Juan, the nave before the eruption

Then there is its architectural boldness. Built of warm, pinkish gray cantera quarry stone, the Santuario is designed in classic basilican style with a lofty, extended nave divided by arcades from side aisles with their own entrances. 

The buried church of San Juan Parangaricutiro (Niccolò Brooker)

Today the shell of the church remains buried in lava; only its upper walls and front visible.

the church front today, its lower level covered by volcanic lava

The church facade is framed in classical style with three bold but plain arched entries in basilican fashion, flanked by paired Doric columns in the center—a pattern repeated on the upper level.

upper facade details 

A classical frieze with alternating triglyphs and ornamental oval reliefs divides the two tiers of the facade, and is repeated above.
A still intact broken triangular pediment with prominent dentils crowns the center section.

church front from the nave

Triple tier towers anchor the front, of which only the northern one was completed. Although detailed like the facade, jutting cornices at each stage, supported by freestanding Doric columns on the corners, lend a more baroque feeling. 

Again, Doric friezes and triangular pediments cap the arched openings of the two main tiers and a dome surmounts the shortened top tier.

original nave arcades

Behind its broad front, rows of Corinthian columns once divided the nave from the side aisles, now infilled, which were also flanked by blind arcading in similar style. 

   Upper windows lit the long nave, illuminating the lavishly decorated, flat plaster ceiling, now also gone, that led the eye to the imposing main altar of masonry, built like a Roman temple in two tiers.

upper part of altarpiece

Today only accessible section of the church is its apse, where the colonnaded upper part of the altar which retains its striking fluted Corinthian columns, is still in use for local devotions.

text © 2015 Richard D. Perry.  color images by Niccolò Brooker

Nicholas of Tolentino in Mexico

In our occasional series on the depiction of catholic saints—both well known and obscure—in Mexican art, we aim to illustrate through images how their cults developed in Mexico.

   This post is devoted to Nicholas of Tolentino, a popular Augustinian saint of the 13th century—in fact the first of that Order to be canonized. 
   While he is portrayed with some frequency in Mexican art—in paintings and statuary—it is mostly in the context of Augustinian churches or monasteries. The saint is traditionally shown as a solemn if austere figure, usually holding a book or a crucifix garlanded with lilies, with a single star or sunburst on his robe. 

St. Nicholas of Tolentino with quail — San Agustín de Oaxaca (facade)

In Mexico, though, his portrayals tend to focus on specific, more picturesque details. In both statuary and painting he is often depicted holding one or a pair of birds—traditionally quails—in illustration of his best known miracle.  (As a vegetarian, he was offered a cooked quail, which he rejected and then brought back to life)

Nicholas of Tolentino and the Miracle of the Quail. Alonso de Herrera  (1555-1624 attr.)

Nicholas of Tolentino with starry robe and dish of quail.  Santiago Tejupan, Oaxaca (pipe organ)

One almost universal aspect of the saint's portrayal in Mexico is his starry robe, covered with multiple stars rather than a single starburst:

San Nicolás Actopan (Hidalgo), portrait of the saint 

Nicholas of Tolentino as a penitent. San Agustín de Oaxaca—altarpiece of San Nicolás.  Tomás de Siguenza, sculptor 

Another popular portrayal of St Nicholas, possibly because of the affinity of Mexicans to religious images of physical suffering, is as a penitent. Usually shown on his knees, half naked, the saint holds a scourge and cross, gazing skyward with an agonized expression.

Nicholas of Tolentino with a Concert of Angels.  Ambroise Fredeau (1589-1673)*

A less common but happier portrayal of St Nicholas relates to an ecstatic episode in his later life in which, in anticipation of death, he heard songs of angels welcoming him to his Heavenly reward.

Nicholas of Tolentino hearing songs of angels.  
San Agustín de Oaxaca—altarpiece of San Nicolás.  Isidro de Castro, artist (1701-1732)

text & images © Richard D. Perry

See our earlier posts in this series: 

 San Antonio Abad, Duns Scotus, San Charbel Maklouf, St Rose of Lima, St Peter Martyr, San Dionisio, St Ursula.

Epazoyucan. Part Three: the Sala murals

We conclude our posts on Epazoyucan with a review of the Sala de Profundis frescoes.

Sala de Profundis: the south and west walls

The Sala de Profundis
A passageway beside the cloister stairwell leads into this dimly lit former friars’ chapel where frescoes cover all four walls to the ceiling. 
   Once again the murals illustrate eleven scenes related to the Passion of Christ, framed by painted Plateresque niches and lettered borders. As with the open chapel fresco, the artist has used the triptych form, in which the central subject is flanked by supporting figures, to unify and dramatize the subject matter.  And in panel after panel the measured structure and sensuous lines of the composition complement the themes.
   Here the later coloring of some of the murals has been removed to expose the monochromatic, grisaille style of the underlying graphics, drawn from northern European print sources.  
   Although in poor condition, some of the murals have been stabilized and partly restored. More complete and appropriate conservation remains to be done.

Below we show some of the better preserved frescoes:

Early episodes in the Passion story unfold in a linked movement along the west wall, starting with the Agony in the Garden, continuing with the Taking, the Mocking and the Flagellation of Jesus.

The Agony in the Garden

The Agony in the Garden, owl detail

The Taking of Jesus

The Mocking of Jesus

The Mocking of Jesus, detail

The Flagellation

Sala de Profundis: the south wall

The sequence continues on the south wall where the Crucifixion is the main focus, flanked by another expressive Descent or Pietá, and the Ascension.

The Crucifixion (detail)

The Lamentation (Pietá)

The Descent from the Cross (detail)

Below the Crucifixion extends an elongated Last Supper

Last Supper (detail)

Other, more fragmentary murals in the Sala include scenes of Pentecost, the Harrowing of Hell and a moving Noli Me Tangere with Mary Magdalene along the east wall, watched over by a portrait of St Augustine. (pictures to follow)

   The powerful classical influence on the unknown muralist is seen most clearly in the Resurrection on the north wall, in which the triumphant figure of the risen Christ soars above an Umbrian landscape. (pictures to follow)

The Refectory Murals

The darkened former refectory on the south side of the cloister contains fragmentary, full length portraits of Augustinian saints and martyrs, and in another triptych on the far wall saints Augustine and Nicholas of Tolentino stand on either side of another Crucifixion scene. (pictures to follow)

text © 2015  Richard D. Perry.   images by the author and courtesy of Niccolò Brooker