Exploring Colonial Mexico©
Exploring Colonial Mexico©
Treasure cities of el barroco poblano: a series
The town of Los Reyes, known in ancient times as xonacacomac ( Place of the Onion Jars) is a busy market town in central Puebla state, located south of the city of Puebla beside the autopista, opposite Acatzingo. At the heart of this workaday pueblo stands the ornate folk baroque church of the Three Kings
Facade:
Newly repainted in white and pastel colors, the Los Reyes facade reflects the lacy, "wedding cake" style of the popular Pueblan baroque, as exemplified by the Jesuit church of La Compañía in the city of Puebla.Its "retablo" format rises in three tiers and is enriched by abundant surface ornament of recently restored carved stucco:
Lower tier: Neoclassical fluted columns on raised, carved bases flank the plain arched doorway. Applied surface decoration includes whorls of foliage and starbursts on and between the columns, extending to the spandrels over doorway.
Oval medallions between the columns showcase stucco reliefs of two of the Four Evangelists with their symbols (John & Matthew .)Second tier: Divided by rectangular pilasters with scrolled/foliated ornament densely carved in low relief. Oval cartouches between the pilasters frame the two other Evangelists (Mark & Luke) Ornamental relief pendants flank the plain rectangular choir window .
Top tier/gable.
Decorative pinnacles extend above the pilasters into the gable area. In the center a large center relief medallion depicts one of Three Magi kneeling before Mother and Child, flanked by two other kings on horseback. A stucco star floats above, supported by angels. A sinuous projecting mixtilinear pediment caps the gable.Giant pilasters flank the entire facade, ornamented in the same fashion as the upper tier pilasters, as are the cornices between the tiers. A substantial, triple staged tower with a prominent tiled dome looms on south side. A crude espadana rises over the north side, with a clock in between.
The Interior
Coffered arches & pilasters with relief decoration span the white and gold nave, which is roofed by elegant ribbed vaults. The interior is notable for its large gilded retablos, representing several colonial styles of altarpiece design.
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Main Retablo
This gilded, two tier retablo, fashioned in the ornate, late colonial "Mexican Churrigueresque" style, probably dates from the mid to late 1700s, and is notable for its densely layered cornices. A Nativity tableau fills the center niche. On either side, statues of two of the Three Kings step from extravagantly swagged niche-pilasters set between ornamental estípites. The third occupies a large niche in the upper tier above the Nativity scene.Side retablo 1.
A large triple tier altarpiece of The Virgin in 17th century baroque style. Plain, rectangular pilasters on lower tier and Plateresque columns on second tier enclose shell niches with statues of mostly Franciscan saints, flanked by large colonial paintings.Side retablo 2
A smaller gilded retablo, framed in ornate Solomonic style with twisted, vine-encrusted columns, also has shell niches containing painted statuary of the Evangelists.
