Santos in Oaxaca's Ancient ChurchesA study of santos in 16th-century and other churches in Oaxaca, Mexico
By Claire and Richard Stracke Funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. In San Pablo Huitzo: Christ |
Christ Fallen with the
Cross |
Christ Fallen with the Cross: The face has distinctive, deep-set eyes and the bewildered look of a mortal man. The crown is in the basketweave pattern but is not green. There are wounds as if from rope burns on the left wrist and a mark beneath the left eye as if the figure had been punched. Not much blood flows from the crown of thorns. The crosspieces are dowel-shaped, and the finishing layer is peeling away from the ends, which may once have been protected by the brass tips common in other crucifixes. Basis for Identification: Crown of thorns, cross on shoulder, wounds, purple robe. Other characteristics: The right hand leans on a pillow set upon a stylized rock. Site: Church of San Pablo Huitzo. Location: In a niche in the upper retablo of the altar along the south wall of the nave (see note). Media and construction: Wood, gesso, paint. Eyes: glass. Hair: sculpted. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Coixtlahuaca,
Etla, Guelavia,
Teposcolula,
Zimatlán. External Links: Next: Also
along the south wall, a statue of Christ at the
pillar Introduction to San Pablo Huitzo Note: On
this
site,
references to the cardinal directions always assume
that the main altar is at the east end of the church,
the narthex or entry area at the west end, and the two
walls
of the nave on the
north and south. (The
nave is the long central section.)
Actual orientations may differ. The photo shown here is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
license. You are free to share or remix it on two
conditions: first, that you attribute it to the
photographers, Claire and Richard Stracke, without
implying any approval of your work on their part;
second, that if you alter, transform, or build upon
this photo, you may distribute the resulting work only
under the same or similar license to this one.
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