Day 4: October 2, 2015--Santa Fe, NM GALLERY

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The many, many pictures of Day 3 of our trip (hey, it was a long and colorful day) fall not-so-naturally into six groups:

• Canyon Road and Cristo Rey
• St. Francis Cathedral
• Loretto Chapel
• San Miguel Church and the Oldest House
• The Plaza Museums
• Miscellaneous Stops

Use the Map to see where we were.

Let's get started!

Canyon Road and Cristo Rey

From the bus tour, which started at #1 on the Map. Most of these shots are on artsy-fartsy Canyon Road and need no description; the last is Cristo Rey, discussed in today's Post.

(Photo by Lila)

(Photo by Lila)

(Photo by Lila)

(Photo by Lila)

Lila's dramatic shot of John Gaw Meem's Cristo Rey Church (1939)

St. Francis Cathedral

Some may not realize that the full name of New Mexico's capital was once La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asis ("The Royal City of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi"). It's only fitting, then, that the Cathedral should be named for that saint. (Map 4)

This bronze of Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy
(the prototype of he for whom Death Came)
stands in front of the magnificent edifice he built.

The 20 panels in the bronze doors created in 1986 by sculptor
Donna Quasthoff depict events in local church history.

This one (third from top, third from left) depicts the Archbishop
laying the cornerstone in 1869. Unfortunately, this stone was dug up
a week later by robbers to plunder the valuable goods set under it.

The total-immersion baptismal font lies between the doors and the altar. (Photo by Lila)

The majestic nave of the Cathedral (Photo by Lila)

The simple-looking reredos was installed on the
Cathedral's 100th anniversary in 1986. New-World
saints surround an 18th-century statue of St. Francis.

The much fancier altar in the La Conquistadora
Chapel, which was built to house a statue brought
to the city in 1626, is in the north transept.

The capital of one of the Cathedral's ornate pillars

I loved the simple style of the Stations of the Cross (I shot them all!)
commissioned from local artist Marie Romero Cash in 1977.

Loretto Chapel

More than just a staircase... (Map 5)

The Chapel's gorgeous exterior (Photo by Lila)

The holy water font

The opulent interior is available for rentals.

This carved marble Last Supper is on the front of the altar.

It may not be "miraculous," but it's impressive!

San Miguel Church and the Oldest House

These places are, as the Japanese say, furukusai: "stinking of age." (And I should know: I took six Japanese friends there in 1998!) (Map 6 and 7)

"...under the direction of..." What a euphemism!

Tourists enter around the right side--through the ubiquitous gift shop.

A fine reredos at the end of the coffin-shaped nave

Simple, effective buttressing

Two images of St. Michael (San Miguel) Which do you prefer? (Photos by Lila)

The "Oldest House in the USA" (doubtful) stands across from San Miguel Church on a side street.
This is not actually the House, but a (you guessed it) gift shop. The House is out of frame to the left.

This is the Oldest House; note the newer plaster on the gift shop at right.

Artsy shot inside the Oldest House

The Oldest House contains a kitschy collection of artifacts. (Photo by Lila)

The Plaza Museums

Our "Traveler's Luck" was as good at the end of the day as it was at the beginning, as we hit the one day a month when the Museums were open late--and for free (my favorite price). Our luck would not be so good the next day...

The New Mexico Museum of Art (Map 11)

The Art Museum is itself a work of art. This is
one of the towers of the church-like auditorium.

In the courtyard

Six exquisite, small frescoes depicting Pueblo
traditions are on the north side of the courtyard.
They were painted by Will Shuster in 1934.
This one is called The Voice of the Earth.

Cui bono? ("Who benefits?"); Gerald Cassidy, 1911

Pueblo Pottery; Henry C. Balink, 1917

In the Patio II; Georgia O'Keeffe, 1948. Though the O'Keeffe Museum
was closed, there was plenty of her work in the Art Museum.

Sketch for mural Preaching to the Mayas & Aztecs; Donald Beauregard,
1912. The mural itself can be seen in the Museum's auditorium.

New Mexico Building, San Diego; Charles S. Rawles, before 1932. "Built
as a temporary structure for an exposition, this building in San Diego,
though greatly modified, still stands. It served as the museum's prototype."

The Palace of the Governors and the New Mexico History Museum (Map 12 and 13)

Two buildings, essentially one institution. I've therefore mixed items from both buildings to make them more "thematic." Artist information is given where known.

Eloisa gazes upon Eloisa. (Eloisa is Lila's real name; the portrait is of Eloisa Luna
Otero Bergere, 1864-1914. Her motto was, "We do not always have to succeed
in what we try to do, but we can offer up our efforts, that is our duty." )

This video was running as part of an exhibit about New Mexicans and the Bataan Death March--
fascinating to us as residents of the Philippines. In fact, the former state capital building (before
the Roundhouse) is now a government office building called the Bataan Memorial Building.

World War II propaganda poster in the Bataan exhibit

There were several yuge collections of Catholic folk art.

How long would it take to appreciate every item on this wall?

Or in the room that wall is in?

The fish tells us this is San Rafael, the Archangel.
By the so-called Laguna Santero (saint-maker),
active around Laguna Pueblo from 1795 to 1810.

I neglected to get her particulars.

Hers too, but clearly the Virgin of Guadalupe.
(I wonder if I could get a copy made in Guagua?)

Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, 18th century
Polychromed wood

Our Lady of Guadalupe, 18th century
Water-based paint on deer or elk hide

Our Lady of Sorrows, 18th century
Polychromed wood with real human hair
(both cool and yuck!) (Photo by Lila)

Pieta; Paul Pietka, 2015
Acrylic on linen canvas

Miscellaneous Stops

Finally, I'm throwing together various things seen throughout the day. Follow the numbers on the Map for an indication of where they fell in the day's journey.

Where we ate Lunch (Map 2)

Busy La Fonda, still a major travelers' destination (Map 3)

Even La Fonda's bathrooms are opulent!

Random sculpture, probably near the Loretto Chapel

IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, across from the Cathedral

Pioneer kids perpetually playing at the Roundhouse (Map 8)

Random neighborhood sight

Casa de Chimayo (Map 10) prepares for the Day of the Dead a month early.

And this is what all those lovely buildings are made of...

Okay, I know that was a lot--around 70, including those in the Post. But since we took over 500 pictures that day, I think I restrained myself pretty well!

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