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 the church of Santa
Elena de la Cruz, Xoxocotlán Angels |
Altar of Our Lady of
Sorrows |
Altar of
Our Lady of Sorrows Site: Church of Santa Elena de la Cruz, Xoxocotlán. Location: Along the south wall of the nave, past the south chapel. Center: Our Lady of Sorrows
Fine painted face. The veil is of blue velvet trimmed in gold, the wimple is of white satin and lace, and the robe is red and gold brocade. The face does not have tears.
Local Name: La Madre de los Dolores Basis for Identification: Hands clasped at the breast, eyes upward, only hands and face showing. Media and construction: Wood,
gesso, paint. Fabric robe, wimple, and
veil. Eyes: glass, with lashes. Open
mouth. Size: Life size. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla,
Santa Ana del
Valle, Coixtlahuaca,
Cuilapan1,
Cuilapan2,
Ejutla, Mitla, Nochixtlán,
Ocotlán, Díaz
Ordaz, Tamazulapan,
Teitipac,
Teotitlán, Teposcolula
(in Calvary group), Tlacolula, Yanhuitlán (?), Zimatlán. External Links:
Right: St. John the Evangelist The hands and neck are well detailed. There is a five o'clock shadow. No carved hair is beneath the wig. A crack runs along the top of the neck, where it meets the head. The left hand shows signs of repair. The halo is of carved wood, painted gold. The chalice is a narrow goblet painted gold. Basis for Identification: Shown as at the Cross: head cast back and to the left with eyes uplifted, left hand open on chest, halo. A chalice is in the right hand. Other characteristics: red robe, green cape. Media and construction: Frame body, gesso, paint,
fabric garments. Eyes: glass, with lashes.
Hair: wig. Size: Life size Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Ejutla, Huitzo, Mitla (Calvary grouping), Ocotlán, Teotitlán, Teposcolula, Tlacolula. External Links: Left: St. Mary Magdalene The face is girlish, with a small, round chin. The texture and finish of the face are very much like those of the St. John at the right on the same altar. The mantle is gold velvet and the robe is purple. Local Name: La Santa Magdalena. Basis for Identification: Eyes cast up. Long, light-colored hair. Left hand open on the breast. Halo. Media and construction: Frame, gesso, paint, fabric garments. Eyes: glass, with lashes. Hair: wig. Size: Life size. Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla, Coixtlahuaca, Ejutla, Huitzo, Ocotlán, Tamazulapan, Teotitlán, Teposcolula. External Links: Previous santo Introduction to Xoxocotlán 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.
|