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
To the far left stands an important image: the scourged Jesus (Figure
38) prominent in _penitente_ activity as "Our Father Jesus the
Nazarene" (_Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno_). By 1918, Alice Corbin
Henderson[66] reports, this same figure appeared in _penitente_ Holy
Week processions at Abiquiú. She claims it was made originally for the
Mission of Santo Tomás. E. Boyd points out stylistic traits shared by
this Abiquiú _bulto_ and the _retablo_ figures in the San José de
Chama Chapel at nearby Hernández, which was the work of _santero_
Rafael Aragon, active from 1829 to after 1855.[67] Symbolic of man's
physical suffering, the image of the _Jesus Nazareno_ is essential to
_penitente_ enactments of the Passion.
[Illustration: FIGURE 38. MAN OF SORROWS (_Ecce Homo, Nuestro Padre
Jesus Nazareno_). SIZE: 1.60 meters high. DATE: Second quarter of 19th
century. ORIGIN: New Mexico, Rafael Aragon, active 1829-55. LOCATION:
East _morada_, to left of altar. MANUFACTURE: Dressed in red fabric
gown, palm clusters and rosaries, leather crown of thorns, horsehair
wig, bright border painted on platform.]
On the left side of the east _morada_ altar, two carved images
represent the grieving mother of Jesus as "Our Lady of Sorrows"
(_Nuestra Señora de los Dolores_), one image (Figure 39) in pink
equipped with her attribute, a dagger; the other (Figure 40), like
many processional figures, has been constructed by draping a pyramidal
frame of four sticks with gesso-dipped cloth, which, when dry, is
painted to represent a skirt. The apron-like design that appears on
the skirt, now hidden under a black dress, indicates that the original
identity probably was "Our Lady of Solitude" (_Nuestra Señora de la
Soledad_).[68]
[Illustration: FIGURE 39. OUR LADY OF SORROWS (_Nuestra Señora de los
Dolores_). SIZE: 99.1 centimeters base to crown. DATE: Early 20th
century. ORIGIN: New Mexico, unidentified _santero_. LOCATION: East
_morada_, left side of altar. MANUFACTURE: Carved wood, gessoed and
painted; dressed in pink cotton gown and veil; tin crown and metal
dagger; artificial flowers, rosaries.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 40. OUR LADY OF SORROWS OR SOLITUDE (_Nuestra
Señora de los Dolores_ or _la Soledad_). SIZE: 81.3 centimeters base
to crown. DATE: Second half of 19th century. ORIGIN: New Mexico,
unidentified _santero_. LOCATION: East _morada_, left side of altar.
MANUFACTURE: Carved wood head and hands, gessoed, painted, and
repainted; body of gesso-wetted cloth, draped on stick frame to dry,
painted; dressed in black satin habit with white lace border; tin
halo, rosary, artificial flowers.]
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