The Landmark
Built in the late 18th century, the Santuario de Guadalupe is the oldest shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe within the United States. Located in the heart of Santa Fe, New Mexico, this landmark church was built between 1776 and 1783, in what was then a territory of Mexico.
Construction occurred roughly around the same time the neighboring United States was obtaining its independence. Click here to view complete painting with details.
It is a freestanding structure without supporting reenforcement columns or buttresses. The exterior is detailed with brick cornices and supports a large clay tile roof. This is crowned with a double-decker belfry steeple. The garden is said to contain plants from Jerusalem.
Having still been part of the Spanish Mexican territory of Nuevo México, the sanctuary itself is decorated with paintings by Mexican artists, including the “Our Virgin of Guadalupe” by Jose De Alzibar. The altar is hand carved and completed with a a “Reredo” or painted altar screen.
The Name “Guadalupe” is a Spanish transliteration from the local Nahuatl term Tecuatlanopeuh”, which roughly translates as “She whose origins are of the rocky summit”.
As there exist numerous churches commemorating Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexicans inhabiting Santa Fe in the 18th century naturally wished to have their own church to observe the miracle which had occurred in Mexico City two centuries earlier.
The Painting
Subsequently, the composition is triangular or pyramid. However, the large wall and sky dominating the left half of the painting is balance by an excess of activity on the more tightly compost right half. Still, the cluster of pigeons to the left add a necessary anchor point to balance the viewers eye movement, which starts at the left (red arrows), moving right, towards the church, and upwards (blue arrows).
Still, the cluster of pigeons to the left add a necessary anchor point to balance the viewers eye movement, which starts at the left (red arrows), moving right, towards the church, and upwards (blue arrows).
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Tom Mallon's website "MallonArt". This website will provide you with links to all his paintings, drawings and other artwork portfolios, including the ongoing series entitled the Santa Fe Portrait.
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History
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| Santuario de Guadalope, by Tom Mallon |
Construction occurred roughly around the same time the neighboring United States was obtaining its independence. Click here to view complete painting with details.
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| East Wall of Santuary |
Structure
Like the San Miguel Mission just down the road (constructed 1610), which was also under the direction of the Franciscan order, the construction is in traditional Southwest adobe style. Its dense adobe walls approach 3 feet in thickness.It is a freestanding structure without supporting reenforcement columns or buttresses. The exterior is detailed with brick cornices and supports a large clay tile roof. This is crowned with a double-decker belfry steeple. The garden is said to contain plants from Jerusalem.
Sanctuary Interior
Legend and Name
The Santa Fe Santuario commemorates the vision of the Virgin Mary reported by Juan Diego, a resident of Tepeyac Mexico (today part of northern Mexico City) On a December morning in 1531. The Virgin miraculously provided Juan Diego without of season flowers and her own image imprinted on his clothing.The Name “Guadalupe” is a Spanish transliteration from the local Nahuatl term Tecuatlanopeuh”, which roughly translates as “She whose origins are of the rocky summit”.
As there exist numerous churches commemorating Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexicans inhabiting Santa Fe in the 18th century naturally wished to have their own church to observe the miracle which had occurred in Mexico City two centuries earlier.
The Painting
The Scene
The painting is of an autumn morning scene, shortly after a brief fall shower, which has left the sanctuary walls still damp. A number of locals can be seen strolling on the walkway immediately outside the central courtyard. The shadow of the large statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located towards the road and above the parking lot, can be seen in the right corner where a young woman wearing a leather jacket walks. Click here to view complete painting with details. |
| XYZ Vanishing Points for 3 Plains |
Tri-Plain Perspective
This canvas is the last painting of a landmark church within the series entitled “Santa Fe Portrait”. The painting itself is a study in rather extreme perspective. Notice, in the perspective sketch to the left, how the scene is developed within three vanishing points (x,y and z), all of which are well off the canvas. It is from these points that all visual vectors are drawn to construct the walls, roof and base plain.Subsequently, the composition is triangular or pyramid. However, the large wall and sky dominating the left half of the painting is balance by an excess of activity on the more tightly compost right half. Still, the cluster of pigeons to the left add a necessary anchor point to balance the viewers eye movement, which starts at the left (red arrows), moving right, towards the church, and upwards (blue arrows).
Still, the cluster of pigeons to the left add a necessary anchor point to balance the viewers eye movement, which starts at the left (red arrows), moving right, towards the church, and upwards (blue arrows).
 |
| Santuario de Guadalupe is a triangular or pyramid composition |
Comments? Questions? Corrections? Any feedback at all? Just click on the comments box at the bottom of this page and enter your thoughts. All comments are welcome.
Shostakovich and Cultural Snobbery, Could anyone survive Stalin's Purges, compose a large body, write for himself and the masses while producing constantly great work?
Visit this later update by CLICKING HERE
Tom Mallon's website "MallonArt". This website will provide you with links to all his paintings, drawings and other artwork portfolios, including the ongoing series entitled the Santa Fe Portrait.
Visit this later update by CLICKING HERE
