Santos in Oaxaca's Ancient Churches

A 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 San Pablo Mitla:

Calvary group
Christ: Ecce Homo
Christ in a coffin
Christ resurrected
Crucifix
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Sorrows (Soledad)
Our Lady of the Assumption (1)
Our Lady of the Assumption (2)
Palm Sunday Christ
St. Anthony of Padua
St. John the Baptist
St. Joseph (1)
St. Joseph (2)
St. Paul (1)
St. Paul (2)
St. Peter
Trinity
Unidentified saint

Other santos not photographed

Resurrected Christ

Resurrected Christ
The sculpting of the hands is of indifferent quality. The right hand has been poorly repainted: a dribble of excess paint runs from the pinkie down onto the heel. Paint has flaked from the left pinkie to reveal the gesso. The face lacks sheen.

Basis for Identification: Raised right hand, vexillum with cross, stigmata.

Other characteristics: White robe.

Location: Shelf in the south wall of the nave between the apse and the second rib, right of the Soledad (see note).

Media and construction: Wood, gesso, paint, fabric garments. Eyes: painted.

Size: About 3½ feet (105 cm.)

Comparable santos in Oaxaca: Achiutla, Santa Ana del Valle, Cuilapan, Teitipac, Teotitlán, Teposcolula, Yanhuitl án, Zaachila.

External Links:
Wikimedia Commons: Statues of Resurrection of Christ in Mexico
Catholic Encyclopedia: Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Wikipedia: Resurrection of Jesus
Christian Iconography: The Resurrection

Next: Other santos not photographed

Previous santo

Introduction to San Pablo Mitla

Santos Home Page

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.