The Penitente Moradas of AbiquiúAhlborn, Richard E.
History
The Penitente Moradas of Abiquiú
Ahlborn, Richard E.
Abiquiu (N.M.) -- Religious life and customs; Hermanos Penitentes -- New Mexico -- Abiquiu; Moradas -- New Mexico -- Abiquiu
On the lower step of the altar appear a host of small, commercial
products, mostly crucifixes, in plaster, plastic, and cheap metal
alloys as well as numerous glass cups for candles. Above the upper
ledge (_gradin_) appear five locally made images of Jesus crucified,
_El Cristo_.[65] At the side of this central _Cristo_ (Figure 33)
hangs a small angel, _angelito_, which traditionally held a chalice to
catch blood from the spear wound. Other _Cristos_, at the Taylor
Museum in Colorado Springs and at the Museum of New Mexico (McCormick
Collection A.7.49-24) in Santa Fe, repeat the weightless corpus and
stylized wounds used by the anonymous _santero_ who, after 1850, made
these _bultos_.
[Illustration: FIGURE 33. CRUCIFIX WITH ANGEL (_Cristo_ and
_angelito_). SIZE: cross 139.7 centimeters high. DATE: Fourth quarter
of 19th century. ORIGIN: New Mexico, unidentified _santero_. LOCATION:
East _morada_, center of altar. MANUFACTURE: Carved wood gessoed and
painted, over-painted in oil; crown of thorns, rosaries, crucifix;
wooden plank, H-shape platform; black cross with _iNRi_ plaque;
_angelito_ with white cotton skirt.]
Additional _Cristo_ figures appear on the convergent walls of the east
_morada_ sanctuary. There are two pairs, large and small, perhaps
dating as late as 1900, one pair to the right (Figures 34, 35), the
other, on the Gospel side (plates 36, 37).
[Illustration: FIGURE 34. CRUCIFIX (_Cristo_). SIZE: cross 170.2
centimeters high. DATE: Second half of 19th century. ORIGIN: New
Mexico, unidentified _santero_. LOCATION: East _morada_, right wall
behind altar. MANUFACTURE: Carved wood, gessoed and painted,
over-painted in oils; black gauze shroud over head; rosary and _iNRi_
plaque.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 35. CRUCIFIX (_Cristo_). SIZE: cross 64.8
centimeters high. DATE: Second half of 19th century. ORIGIN: New
Mexico, unidentified _santero_. LOCATION: East _morada_, right wall
behind altar. MANUFACTURE: Carved wood, gessoed and painted; dressed
in white skirt with rosary.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 36. CRUCIFIX (_Cristo_). SIZE: cross 71.1
centimeters high. DATE: Second half of 19th century. ORIGIN: New
Mexico, unidentified _santero_. LOCATION: East _morada_, left wall
behind altar. MANUFACTURE: Carved wood, gessoed and painted, repainted
in oil colors, yellow and red strips on black; dressed in white cotton
skirt; rosary.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 37. CRUCIFIX (_Cristo_). SIZE: cross 177.8
centimeters high. DATE: Fourth quarter of 19th century. ORIGIN: New
Mexico, unidentified _santero_. LOCATION: East _morada_, left wall
behind altar. MANUFACTURE: Carved wood, gessoed and painted; crown of
thorns and rosary; dressed in white cotton waist cloth.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account