Wednesday, January 01, 2020

Collecíon de Nacimientos by AntonioSolisGomez

Adriana Cordova was one of my classmates at the University of Arizona in the mid 1970’s and later she became a principal for the Tucson Unified School District. She was Catholic and having participated for many years in Las Posadas, the reenactment of the Holy Family seeking shelter, she began collecting scenes of the Nativity when she travelle, fascinated by the variety that she encountered. Friends and family knowing of her interest also began contributing to her collection that eventually numbered well over two hundred pieces.  Her daughter Teresa Guerrero now displays the collection and I have included a small sample.

What is fascinating is how the devotion of people has manifested in the utilization of cultural attributes with their particular talents and interests.
The Birth of Christ has been a theme for professional artists for hundreds of years and many of the exquisite works of art that bear such a theme are revered and treasured throughout the Christian world. However the majority in this collection of Nacimientos were crafted by local artisans, craftpeople, perhaps even by people doing it as a hobby. So probably it is best to classify them as folk art with a few exceptions.

Navy Blue and Gold tapestry aproximately 36"x 24" Unknown origin
The Holy Family in wax from Bavaria
Holy Family Batik from India
Colored tin Nativity from Poland
Southwest Pueblo Nativity in the Round
Nativity from the Tohono O'Odhom Reservation
Wood Carved Three Wise Men
Two depictions of the Holy Family 
MATA ORTIZ Nativity
African Village Nativity
Wood Bas Relief Nativity from Thailand
Carved coconut Nativity from Hawaii
Mexican Corn Husks Nativity
 Holy Family in starched fabric, porcelaine hands and face 
60" X 15" tapestry of the Nativity
Painting of the Nativity from Guatemala
Incense Burner Nativity in the round
Peruvian Nativity in Ceramic
40"x 60" applique quilt
 Holy Family in Gilded Wire Enclosure
Painted Ceramic Dish Nativity

Inuit Nativity
Embrodiered Cloth Nativity from the Puerto Rico
Black Laquer Nativity in three panelsfrom the Far East
Ted DeGrazia Holy Family 

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2 comments:

  1. Daniel CanoJanuary 1, 2020 at 3:43:00 PM MST

    Antonio, thanks for sharing this collection. I can't help but think that there must be a topic for a research paper in there somewhere.

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  2. Antonio SolisGomezJanuary 1, 2020 at 4:35:00 PM MST

    just learned daniel the the university of dayton has a large collection, some 3600 pieces from all over the world. maybe someone there is undertaking such a study. happy new year, enjoy your stories very much

    ReplyDelete

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