Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-22
RARE PAINTINGS IN MEXICO.
Churches Have Works Of Spanish
Masters.

1t is Impossible, for art Lovers in the
United States il they have never visited
Mexico to believe that this new ord neigh
Dor is a treasure house of art. The exist
cnce OF old masters III Mexico has been
more failed than real in ear minds, ana
many have smiled 1T tn" cre'lnlity of the
unlt:trnrd masses Of this embryonic re-
public. 1t is true that the uGQueStioninS
majority know nothing and thinl: Moth
ing Of Il picture except what the p;tdfe
tells them. but ii muSt be remembered
that the men who rule the dcsIni"s of
MEXICO are educated, Travelled, cultured
in tEe schools ard universities of the Old
voiid and are cHniltrtly capable OF ap-
prpciating the fine arts. Furthermore,
they are all Catholics. and hence are
irlbred With the traditional reverence
for ,elis iol,s art that we cannot wholly
very reverence would incapaciate them
as impartial critics of this ant. but he
this as it may, it has served Il purpose
invalual.lr~to til" student of today.
Tie church was very rich i'll the seven
tcenth century md amply able t. send
worNe of art of great value to Mexico
and other colonies II Was also the Pc
was :; great art center.
The missionary priests in Meyico soon
discovered That tie Indians were not
able to comprehend the spirit Of the
Christian religion and that they must
substitute pictures and images of the
Cmist Tor the heather gods ana IDOLS
converts and charels we're nultil'li ID
rapidly after the conquest, and it be-
came a IIiouS duty. often emphasized by
an order of Cortez to bring paintings
and statues Of saints 10 the new world.
From about the Year 1870 ther, lived in
Meyico for forty years TWO artists who
were skilled copyists aHd irnitators.
These Were Baltasar Ech&ve and his
wife, known as La SumaHa. They paint
Ell in both tie Italian and Dut III styles
and Echave often initiated Titan fairly
grated to this county, and lived and
painted here throughout the seventeenth
century established what is know as
the old Mexican school and left many
easy to establish their iicnty and dis
tineuish them from the old world work.
Tie Mexican school of art, nov called
the San Carlos Academy, was established
by the rnval order Of Charles III Of
Spain in ITS and has survived through
OFT many vicissitudes. It contains fine
school and "A number of originals from
there '"i%ii IS a st scbastian, by Van byke.
Fa he s Of nan 6y atic. i H!9f,
Catherine" by Guilds: portrait of Murril
10 by VelasqueZi; Burial Of Ch,lst." by
Ruhtrs unfinished: st. John tie Pap
fist" hv 1ngres: John of the Lord" by
Muliilo: Olympic Plays" bv Nernet and
many fine copies. OF the modern school
there are many mcriterous Mexican
pllTteT5 lli uStldtiNc ol important iliStoii-
cal scenes.
In the Cathedral of Mexico City there is
a Holy Family by Murilln hung in the
choir concerning whose authenticity there
seorlS to be no question. The rlo.hor and
child are about threc-QuaiterS size and
the prevailing color is luminous cream
with touches of gold and brown.
In tho dark ScariSty the visitor is shown
three Ravhaels under glass and on the
walls two immense but atrcciously mutt
Lated pictures attributed to NalasQrez
One of the most interesting stories al
Germs tue fGmous Titan at the village of
TZintzuntZan. Many attempts have been
made to purchase this; picture. hut all
have heen unsuccessful. The Cathedral
and so. of course. would the SAN Carlos
Academy. nut the priests Of til" dillpi-
dated church where it hangs III Il poorly
lighted room guard ii iealouSly. More
over it is supposed that their lives would
not he safe from the wrath Of tive Irdian
WOrShiperi should they permit the paint
ing to disaprear
The painting is sixteen feet long by
seven high ana represents the entomhins;
of Christ. In the upper left hand corner
and Landscape. There is no proof that
Titan painted this picture except its own
beauty which has never Waverod in tn,
goo years and more that it mas hung in tho
old church at TZintzmtZar. The room
that holds it is about thirty By twenty
feet. and has but one outside OpcpinG.
an ung!azod window. protected by a triple
iron grating on the outside and double
wooden shutters on the inside. Every time
these are opened the fresh air has inGresa
to the room, and this fact T.ay lave had
much to do with the preservation oi the
churches of Mexico are always damp and
molly From Modern Mexico.