Santos in Oaxaca's Ancient Churches

A 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 Lorenzo Zimatlán:

Christ carrying the Cross
Christ fallen with the Cross
Crucifix
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows (Soledad)
Sacred Heart of Jesus
St. Isidore the Laborer
St. John the Baptist
Virgin Mary

Other santos not photographed

Saint Isidore the Laborer

Saint Isidore the Laborer:
The oxen typically associated with this saint are in a separate case on the floor. The work resembles contemporary folk art.

Local Name: San Isidro Labrador

Basis for Identification: A wide-brim hat, trousers under a tunic, a gourd hanging under the right armpit, a goad held in the right hand, nearby oxen.

Site: Church of San Lorenzo Zimatlán.

Location: Over the main altar in a side chapel. 

Media and construction: Gessoed cloth over carved wood, freshly painted. Felt hat. Real gourd.

Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Coixtlahuaca, Huitzo, Tamazulapan, Teitipac, Teposcolula.

External Links:
Wikimedia Commons: Statues of Saint Isidore the Laborer in Mexico
Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Isidore the Labourer
Wikipedia: Isidore the Laborer
Christian Iconography: Saint Isidore the Laborer


Next: Along the south wall, a statue of Christ carrying the Cross

Previous santo

Introduction to San Lorenzo Zimatlán

Santos Home Page

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.