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Mission San Xavier del Bac: A Guide to Its Iconography

by Yvonne Lange and Richard E. Ahlborn
photographs by Helga Teiwes

University of Arizona Press, 2004
Cloth: 978-0-8165-2200-2 | eISBN: 978-0-8165-4496-7
Library of Congress Classification N7911.T83L36 2004
Dewey Decimal Classification 704.948209791776

ABOUT THIS BOOK | REVIEWS | TOC

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Unique among mission churches of the northern borderlands of colonial Mexico for its ornate architecture and rich iconography, San Xavier del Bac south of Tucson is a pilgrimage destination for countless devotees and tourists. Passing through the façade entry to stand in the nave, one is dazzled by the transept and sanctuary altarpieces of sculpture niches and baroque pilasters, as well as the expanse of the frescoed ceiling.

This book is the first study of the iconography at San Xavier since its restoration in the 1990s by an international team of professional conservators. It expands our understanding of the numerous Catholic images and emblems of San Xavier through a close analysis of the newly revealed iconographic elements and an interpretation of the significance of their placement. It also proposes that the selection of specific religious themes and their locations was determined by an unfamiliar convention based on a tree-like design, in which the founder of a religious Order appears as the root and followers above in later branchings—an inversion of the more familiar top-to-bottom hierarchy.

Historians Lange and Ahlborn identify all the saintly images and religious elements that adorn San Xavier and suggest how and why they are so arranged. They examine the sculptures and paintings of the church from the façade throughout the cruciform interior in order to determine the organizational concepts that underlie their placement. They note that the selection of images in this Franciscan mission follows traditional Roman Catholic practice for decorating churches in order to instruct novices and reinforce the teaching of conversion in a pictographic catechism of Church doctrine. In short, the book is a dictionary of religious personages and symbols that will help the visitor identify the biblical stories and people portrayed, as well as associated signs and symbols. Entries include a description of the subject, its location, appropriate cross-references, and a bibliography. Recent illustrations by photographer Helga Teiwes and a floor plan facilitate the location of images by visitors.

A handsome, large-format book featuring more than one hundred photographs and supporting line illustrations, Lange and Ahlborn’s work confirms the significance of San Xavier’s iconography for art historians, students of religion, and visitors alike. It is both an incomparable guide and valuable reference source for the famed mission’s magnificent artistic heritage.

REVIEWS

"An important book . . . The authors fully document what we know about Mission San Xavier del Bac and their research is meticulous and first rate. The photography of Helga Teiwes helps make this work an absolute must for anyone interested in Southwestern history." —Tucson Citizen

“Each image is further cross-referenced in an extensive dictionary of subjects, personages, and symbols, making the book a valuable reference tool.” —CHOICE Magazine

“The photographic documentation is the best published thus far.” —The Antioch Review

“The authors deliver an exhaustively detailed explanation of San Xavier’s images and emblems.” —SMRC Revista

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
	Historical Background of San Xavier del Bac Mission
1.		Jesuit Period (1700-1767)
2.		First Franciscan Period (1768-1831); Construction of
		Present Church of San Xavier del Bac Starts in 1783
1.		Secular Period (1832-1912)
2.		Second Franciscan Period (1913-present)
3.		Restoration of Mission San Xavier del Bac
	
Chapter I. Organizational Principles
	Concepts Governing the Orientation, Consecration,
	and Dedication of Secular Churches and Altars
1.		Bibliographic Sources
2.		Architectural Orientation of Churches; Location of
		Baptistry Chapel
1.		Consecration and Dedication of Secular Churches
		and Altars
1.		Prohibition of Substitution of Any Image for That
		of the Dedicatory Saint of the Church; Prohibition
		of Transfer of a Titular Saint and Its Dedicatory
		Image from One Altar to Another
1.		Movement and Reuse of Altar Screens and Imagery
	
	Church Furnishings and Their Hierarchical Placement
1.		Precedence of the Gospel side of the Altar over the
		Epistle side: Hierarchical Placement of Chapels,
		Altars, and Imagery
1.		Architecture of the Altarpiece and the Hierarchical
		Placement of Imagery
	Religious Power Structures and Their Descending Hierarchies
1.		The Invisible Heavenly Population and Its Classification
2.		The Earthly Population of Saints and Its Classification
3.		The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church
4.		The Hierarchy of Religious Orders
	
	Choice of Dedicatory Themes and Devotional Programs
1.		Franciscan and Jesuit Preferences
2.		Death and Purgatory
3.		Lay Associations, Religious Brotherhoods, and Private
		Patrons
	Placement of Depictions of Heavenly and Earthly Populations:
	Their Hierarchy
1.		Descending Hierarchical Order of Heavenly Population
2.		Ascending Hierarchical Order of Earthly Population
		a.	Implied Tree Symbolism and Its Vertically Rising
			Hierarchy
		b.	Narrative Religious Cycles and Their Vertical or
			Horizontal Episodic Sequences
	3.	Horizontal Order of Heavenly and Earthly Populations
		and Numerically Ordained Themes
	Prints As Sources of Inspiration for Pictorial
	Representations of Religious Subjects and Themes
Chapter 2. Catalog of Themes
	Iconographic Themes and Cycles
		Supernaturals
		Marian Representations
		Twelve Apostles
		Four Evangelists
		Four Fathers (Doctors) of the Latin Church
		Four Great Virgin Martyrs of the Latin Church
		Deacon Martyrs
		Christian Monasticism
		Religious Orders
		Secular Saints
		Signs and Symbols
	Hierarchical Placement of Imagery According to Location
1.			Facade
		2.	Main Altar Screen in the Sanctuary
		3.	Gospel, or West, Transept Altar Screen
		4.	Epistle, or East, Transept Altar Screen
		5.	Sanctuary and Nave
		6.	South Walls of East and West Transepts
		7.	Choir Loft
		8.	Vertical Arrangement of Figures, in a Rising
			Hierarchy, from Floor to Dome
		9.	Numerical Symbolism and Its Location
		10.	Dome Pendentives, Drum, and Vault
			a.	Pendentives
			b.	Drum and Dome Vault
			c.	Iconological Interpretation of Symbolism of Dome
Chapter 3. Dictionary of Subjects, Personages, Symbols, and Emblems
1.		Location of Images and Emblems
2.		Key to the Location Code
3.		Image and Emblem Media
			Alphabetical List of Subjects, Personages,
			and Images
Chapter 4. Locating Images, Symbols, and Emblems at San Xavier del Bac
1.		Major Spaces with Images, Symbols, and Emblems
2.		Specific Areas
3.		Locational System
4.		Letter Codes for Directions
5.		Chart: Location of Religious Images and Emblems
	
Chapter 5. Jesuit Retentions; Conclusions
Notes (unnumbered)
Glossary of Terms
Bibliography
Index
List of Illustrations
Cover art		Franciscan church of San Xavier del Bac at Tucson, Arizona
Chapter 1
Figure 1.1		Latin-Cross Plan of Mission San Xavier del Bac at Tucson, 
Arizona
Figure 1.2		The Tree of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy of the Roman 
Catholic Church
Figure 1.3		Jesuit geographic tree published at Rome in 1762 showing 
distribution and administrative organization of Jesuit 
establishments throughout the world
Figure 1.4		Detail of Figure 1.3 showing location of Jesuit 
establishments in Old Mexico specifically 
Figure 1.5		Visual illustration of Jesuit spiritual genealogical tree 
that takes its inspiration from Tree of Jesse
Figure 1.6		Visual illustration of Franciscan spiritual genealogical 
tree that takes its inspiration from Tree of Jesse
Chapter 2
Figure 2.1		Facade of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 2.2		Sanctuary of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 2.3		Gospel or West Transept of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 2.4		Epistle or East Transept of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 2.5(a)	Dome of San Xavier del Bac above the crossing
Figure 2.5(b)	Dome of San Xavier del Bac above the crossing
Chapter 3
Figure 3.1		Facade of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 3.2		Sanctuary of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 3.3		Gospel or West Transept of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 3.4		Epistle or East Transept of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 3.5		Adoration of the Magi
Figure 3.6		Adoration of the Shepherds and Angels
Figure 3.7		Agatha of Catania
Figure 3.8		Agnes of Assisi
Figure 3.9		Agnes of Rome
Figure 3.10		Ambrose of Milan
Figure 3.11		Andrew the Apostle
Figure 3.12		Annunciation
Figure 3.13		(Right): Anthony Abbot and His Carnal Temptations by a Demon
			(Left): Anthony of Padua Heals the Wrathful Son
Figure 3.14		Anthony of Padua
Figure 3.15		Anthony of Padua
Figure 3.16		Augustine of Hippo
Figure 3.17		Baptism of Christ
Figure 3.18		Baptismal Font
Figure 3.19		Bartholomew the Apostle
Figure 3.20		Benedict of Palermo (Philadelphia), The Moor
Figure 3.21		Bernardine of Feltre
Figure 3.22		Bernardine of Siena
Figure 3.23(a)	Bonaventure of Bagnoreggio
Figure 3.23(b)	Bonaventure of Bagnoreggio
Figure 3.24		Cecilia of Rome
Figure 3.25(a)	Clare of Assisi
Figure 3.25(b)	Clare of Assisi
Figure 3.26		Colette Boylet of Corbie
Figure 3.27(a)	Crucifixion (Corpus of Christ Missing from Cross)
Figure 3.27(b)	Crucifixion
Virgin of the Seven Sorrows
Figure 3.28		Cypress
Figure 3.29		Last Supper (detail of Fig. 3.66)
Figure 3.30		Didacus (Diego) of Alcala
Figure 3.31		The Divine Shepherdess of Souls
Figure 3.32		Dominic Guzman
Figure 3.33		Dominic Guzman Receives the Rosary from Mary; Battle of 
Lepanto
Mark the Evangelist
Figure 3.34		Elizabeth of Hungary
Figure 3.35		Elizabeth of Portugal
Figure 3.36		Fidelis of Sigmaringen
Figure 3.37		Fish held by angel on the right of St. Joseph
Joseph the Patriarch
Figure 3.38		The Five Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Figure 3.39		Flaming Heart of Jesus
Figure 3.40(a)	Francis of Assisi
Figure 3.40(b)	Francis of Assisi
Figure 3.41		Francis of Assisi Receives the Stigmata
Figure 3.42		Francis Solanus
Figure 3.43		Francis Xavier
Figure 3.44		Francis Xavier Entombed
Figure 3.45(a)	Francis Xavier (headless sculpture)
Figure 3.45(b)	Francis Xavier (headless sculpture), rear view
Figure 3.46		Franciscan Coat of Arms
Figure 3.47		Genealogical Tree of the Franciscan Order
Figure 3.48		Gertrude the Great
Figure 3.49		God the Father, Eternal Father
Figure 3.50		Grapevine
Figure 3.51		Gregory the Great
Figure 3.52		Holy Family
Figure 3.53		Ignatius of Loyola
Figure 3.54		Ildefonsus of Toledo
Figure 3.55		Isidore the Farmer
Figure 3.56		James the Great, Apostle
Figure 3.57		James the Less (James the Younger), Apostle
Figure 3.58		Jerome
Figure 3.59		Jesus the Nazarene, or Christ Carries His Cross
Figure 3.60		Joachim and Anne Meet at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem; Anne 
Teaches the Child Mary to Read
Figure 3.61		John the Apostle and Evangelist
Figure 3.62		John of Capestrano
Figure 3.63		John Nepomuk
Figure 3.64		Jude Thaddeus the Apostle
Figure 3.65		Ladder
Figure 3.66		Last Supper
Figure 3.67		Laurence of Huesca
Figure 3.68		Lion
Figure 3.69		Lucy of Syracuse
Figure 3.70		Luke the Evangelist
Figure 3.71		Mariana de Jesús Paredes y Flores (suggested representation 
of)
Figure 3.72		Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist
Figure 3.73		Matthias the Apostle
Figure 3.74		Palm Tree
Figure 3.75		Pascal Baylon
Figure 3.76		Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles
Figure 3.77		Pentecost, or Descent of the Holy Ghost
Figure 3.78		Peter of Alcantara
Figure 3.79		Peter, Apostle to the Jews
Figure 3.80		Peter Regalatus of Valladolid
Figure 3.81		Philip the Apostle
Figure 3.82		Pulpit
Figure 3.83		Rita of Cascia
Figure 3.84		Roch of Montpellier
Figure 3.85		Rosalie of Palermo
Figure 3.86		Rose of Viterbo
Figure 3.87		Simon the Apostle
Figure 3.88		Stephen of Jerusalem
Figure 3.89		Tabernacle
Figure 3.90		Tent
Figure 3.91		Theresa of Avila
Figure 3.92		Tower
Figure 3.93		Veil of Veronica
Figure 3.94		Vincent Ferrer
Figure 3.95		Virgin of the Annunciation
Figure 3.96		Virgin of Aranzazu
Figure 3.97		Virgin of the Assumption
Figure 3.98		Virgin of Bethlehem; Virgin Nursing (Suckling) the Child
Figure 3.99		Virgin of Guadalupe
Figure 3.100	Virgin of the Immaculate Conception
Figure 3.101	Virgin of the Pillar
Figure 3.102	The Vision of Saint Francis of Assisi Taken to Heaven in a Fiery 
Chariot (detail of Fig. 3.70)
Figure 3.103	Visitation
Chapter 4
Figure 4.1		Floor Plan of Franciscan church of San Xavier del Bac
Figure 4.2		Elevation: Mission San Xavier del Bac
Glossary of Terms
Figure G.1					Alb
Figure G.2					Amice
Figure G.3					Biretta
Figure G.4					Cardinal
Figure G.5					Cassock
Figure G.6					Chasuble
Figure G.7					Cincture
Figure G.8					Cope
Figure G.9					Cross-staff
Figure G.10					Crozier
Figure G.11					Dalmatic
Figures G.12(a)-(g)			Habit
	Figure G.12(a)			Augustinian Friar
	Figure G.12(b)			Augustinian Nun
	Figure G.12(c)			Dominican Friar
	Figure G.12(d)			Dominican Nun
	Figure G.12(e)			Franciscan Friar
	Figure G-12(f)			Franciscan Nun
	Figure G-12(g)			Jesuit Priest
Figure G.13					Maniple
Figure G.14					Mitre
Figure G.15					Stole
Figure G.16					Tiara




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