Author: Sealtiel Enciso Pérez
Upon the arrival of the Jesuits in California, they immediately began constructing missions, with the centerpiece being the construction of temples or churches. The central purpose of these unique structures was not only to facilitate the celebration of Christian liturgy but also to serve as the ideal space for the conversion of natives to the "true faith." As these mission towns grew and economic resources became available, the temples became enriched with paintings and ornaments, which had to be brought from the center of New Spain. Here we will analyze the beautiful central altarpiece of the Church of San Francisco Javier Vigge Biaundó.
First, it is necessary to define some terms that we often forget the meaning of due to their everyday usage. The word Temple comes from the Latin "templum," which means "sacred place." Since humans began to explain their origin, as well as the phenomena they observed in nature, they tried to create sites, real or fictitious, where the being that created them might reside. As a result, major civilizations have had sacred spaces or temples for millennia, where they worship their deities. In the case of Christianity, as a repository of many ancient spiritual beliefs, the idea of temples persisted, and over time these sites became more complex, filled with riches, and especially loaded with a large number of symbols in order to explain the dogmas and principles of their religion.
Inside the temples, spaces were erected where various rituals were performed, such as the Mass ceremony, baptisms, spaces for discreet prayer, confession, etc. From the 15th century onwards, structures called "altarpieces" began to be built in front of churches, which aimed to synthesize the main ideas of the Catholic religion, as well as to express biblical passages and the life of the saint to whom the temple was dedicated. In accordance with the characteristic that defined the ritualistic part of the Catholic Church, the altarpieces underwent a long process of systematization, both in their design and in their symbols, such that they arrived in New Spain in the 16th century with a well-defined appearance, which was replicated in the various churches that were constructed.
In the case of the church built in the Mission of San Francisco Javier de Vigge Biaundó, priest Miguel del Barco had a series of paintings and a wooden structure previously designed brought from the Jesuit College of Tepotzotlán, in what is now the state of Mexico, to be placed in the main altar of this church. The transfer of this altarpiece to the remote San Javier mission was quite an odyssey that required not only many days but also a great effort on the part of the muleteers and soldiers, as the roads to reach the Sonora coast from the center of New Spain were very difficult to traverse, in addition to having to transport them by boat to Loreto, with a serious risk of losing them in a storm. However, the purpose was achieved and they were installed on site, demonstrating the great skill and mastery of the artisans who participated in the project. This installation was carried out between 1750 and 1760.
The mentioned altarpiece was made of carved, assembled, estofada (covered with a fine layer of plaster, later covered with thin sheets of gold and finally painted with lacquer to fix and prevent them from being exposed to the elements and dust) and polychromed (in various colors) wood. It has a height of 9.30 meters and a width of 5.9 meters. The style under which it was made corresponds to the Baroque, and it features carved images that are polychromed. It consists of two bodies and a top, and has two doors at the bottom. It has eight oil paintings: St. Michael the Archangel, St. Louis Gonzaga, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Joachim, the Holy Trinity, St. Anne, St. Joseph and the Child with the Cross, the image of San Francisco Javier and St. Paul. In the tabernacle, there is also a beautiful painting depicting the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In the interstices of the oil paintings, there are carved faces of cherubs in the wood, as well as four other faces that apparently represent the evangelists.
We will briefly describe the oils that are found in the sections of this Retablo: In the Remate, we appreciate in the center the image of Archangel Saint Michael. We can observe a young man who is standing on 3 angels. He wears a crown on his head and was painted with wings extended. The mentioned figure is wrapped in a red cloak which, due to the chiaroscuro effect, appears as if it were in motion. He carries a sword and a blue chest plate with fringes. His left hand is raised to the height of his head and behind it, we can see a sphere with the Latin phrase QUIS UT DEUS (WHO IS LIKE GOD). On the right side, we can appreciate an oil painting representing Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. This character lived in the years 1568 to 1591 in what we know today as Italy. He was a descendant of noble characters, however, from a very young age, he renounced his titles, joined the Jesuit order, and due to his dedication to caring for plague patients in Rome, he contracted the disease and died at the young age of 23. He was canonized in 1726. The character in the oil painting is dressed in a cassock and wears a surplice. In front of him and on a cloud, there are 2 angels. He is shown with a crown in his right hand and a lily in his left hand as a symbol of purity and chastity. Finally, on the right side, we see an oil painting representing Saint Anthony of Padua. This saint lived from 1195 to 1231, although he was born in Portugal, most of his life was spent in Italy. He was ordained in the Franciscan order and was a great connoisseur of the scriptures of the church, as well as an eloquent speaker. In this painting, he is represented frontally, kneeling, and with a baby Jesus in his arms who carries a lily. He is covered with the Franciscan habit, and as he is painted with folds, it reflects a certain movement. In the upper part, two little angels appear on a beautiful blue sky.
The first section of the altarpiece illustrates in its central part the Holy Trinity. In this painting, three male figures with identical faces rest on seven cherubs. The central figure, representing the Father, holds a scepter in his hand. The white clothing gives a sense of ethereality to the images. To the right of this "section," there is an oil painting with the image of St. Joachim, the father of the Virgin Mary. It is said that St. Joachim was married for 20 years to the mother of Mary and they could not have children until an angel appeared to him and announced that his wife would become pregnant that same day. The figure portrayed in the oil painting is an old man with very fine features, a white beard, dressed in a blue tunic and a red cloak. His feet are covered in socks that show his toes. Floating in the air above the painting, there are four little angels. On the right side, the remaining oil painting represents St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary. The image depicts a young woman with very beautiful and delicate features and very white palms. She wears a tunic with a red cloak. At the top of the painting, four little angel faces can be seen.
In the second section of the altarpiece, in the center, there is a wooden sculpture representing St. Francis Xavier. Like the rest of the altarpiece, it is painted with the technique of estofado and polychromed. Above his head, a metal nimbus or halo with gems can be seen. It is 1.52 meters tall and .62 meters wide. This image was made with glass eyes and wearing a beautiful cassock that tries to recreate movement through its folds and chiaroscuro. He holds a cross in his left hand, which is not the original, and there is a legend on its base that says "Narciso Flores had it retouched in 1891." On the left side, there is an oil painting representing St. Joseph and the Child with the Cross. St. Joseph holds a flowering staff in his left hand and stands, next to him walks a child carrying a cross too large for his body. The painting work was very well done, reflecting the high level of art that had been achieved in New Spain. Finally, on the right side, there is the oil painting of St. Paul. This saint was of Jewish origin but was considered Roman because he was born in Sicily. He initially persecuted the Jews but had an instant conversion, which transformed him into an apostle. He was imprisoned for his ideas, and while awaiting his death by beheading, he wrote his famous Epistles. He is commonly represented with a sword in one hand and a book in the other. In the case of this oil painting, he is depicted as a middle-aged man with abundant hair and a long beard. He is dressed in a tunic and holds a sword and a book in his hands. In the background, a landscape full of clouds is drawn.
Completing this wonderful altarpiece, at the bottom, we can appreciate a tabernacle (a place where the Holy Host is kept in churches) whose wooden door is painted with the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus using the oil technique. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the symbol of God's love for men, where the cross at the top of the heart is a symbol of expiation, salvation, and redemption that Christianity offers. In the case of the painting, in its central part, we can see a heart from which a cross emerges, surrounded by a crown of thorns. It is surrounded by 8 little faces of angels and cherubs in "adoration".
Inside this marvelous temple, we can appreciate many other wonderful liturgical structures, but that will be the subject of other articles. I hope that our readers, at the end of this document, will be motivated to visit, continue investigating and getting to know all the beauty that our former mission churches or temples hold.
Bibliography:
· Las Misiones De Baja California/The Mission Of Baja California, 1683-1849. Una reseña histórico – 1957 del Dr. W. Michael Mathes (University of San Francisco)
· Descripción e inventarios de las Misiones de Baja California, 1773 - Eligio Moisés Coronado
· Arte Sacro en Baja California Sur Siglos XVII – XIX Objetos de culto y documentos – Bárbara Meyer de Stinglhamber
· Arquitectura en el desierto: Misiones Jesuitas En Baja California - Marco Díaz
· El Camino Real y Las Misiones De La Península De Baja California - Miguel León Portilla
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