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"Portals of Paradise." Mexico's colonial doorways.

Changing Faces, Changing Places the chapel at Pomacuarán

The recycling of buildings and parts of buildings is a venerable tradition in Mexico, especially where sacred structures are concerned. The appropriation and adaptation of pre-hispanic structures - temple foundations, walls and even stone carvings - for new buildings was common in the colonial era.
Sometimes this form of preservation has been on a grand scale, such as the recent relocation of entire church fronts in Guanajuato. But even in poorer, rural areas it has been a part of the constant modification and change of both the monuments themselves and society as a whole over the centuries.


San Miguel Pomacuarán
The ancient hospital chapels, or guatáperas of Michoacan have endured many such changes and modifications over the centuries. One of the most interesting of these monuments is the chapel at San Miguel Pomacuarán, a small craft village in the Sierra Tarasca of western Michoacán.
In the mid-1800s, a fire devastated the old mission church there. Although the church was abandoned and then demolished, its extraordinary carved stone doorway survived the holocaust. Unwilling to jettison this tangible symbol of their loss and their traditional faith, the villagers re assembled the remnants to create a new entry for the adjacent hospital chapel - also an ancient foundation that may even have predated the mission church.


The Facade
The entry is a 16th century classic: a bold geometric design very much in the distinctive regional tradition. Carved coffered jambs and the arch over the doorway enclose stylized angels' heads and oak/acanthus foliage. A prominent rectangular alfiz in the moorish fashion, carved with rosettes, frames the doorway and encloses large scallop shells - another popular regional motif.
Shells, rosettes and pinnacles above the alfiz flank a crude choir window - no doubt a substitute for what must have been a larger, more elaborate, mullioned window, or ajímez - yet another local architectural feature. (see our page on Erongarícuaro) Whether the original window was destroyed or there was simply not enough room for it on the smaller chapel front (note the broader sill projecting from the cornice) - the awkwardly placed carved facade is still a tight fit - we do not know.

Nevertheless, preservation of this handsome 16th century facade is a testament to local pride and continuity, and takes its place beside the similar nearby churches of Capácuaro, Aranza, Charapan. San Lorenzo and Nurio


The Painted Ceiling
Inside the chapel, which now serves as the parish church, is another example of change within continuity: its spectacular painted ceiling - one of the largest, most complete and well preserved of the celebrated Michoacán ceilings.

Probably executed after the fire, possibly in conjunction with the refitting of the chapel, the ornate, painted panels are still largely intact. As with many of the painted ceilings unique to this region, however, these are in need of conservation. At this writing, the Mexican agency Consejo Nacional Adopte Una Obra de Arte, which has already sponsored several similar preservation projects in Michoacán, is undertaking this task.

While a full interpretation of the iconography remains to be done, certain themes common to other painted ceilings in the area, as well as several unique features are present at Pomacuarán. The suspended wooden ceiling runs the entire length of the chapel, from the polgonal apse to the choir at the west end, and consists of thirteen rounded bays. Each bay is separated by ribs with decorative floral fringes and is broadly divided into seven rows of painted polychrome panels.

The central row along the ridge of the chapel comprises a series of decorative sunburst motifs. These are flanked in part by rows of ornamental rectangular cartouches framing small narrative scenes of saints and friars. On either side, the main sequence of larger murals begins at the east end with angels in blue and red swirling robes holding scroll with passages from the litany. These are followed by a variety of narrative scenes of great charm, that include portraits of Christ and The Virgin as well as The Nativity and biblical episodes involving musical instruments, as well as prominent figures in Church history.

 

View towards the apse

 

View towards the choir

 

Angels with scrolls
 

 

 

Organ, horn, harp and cymbals

  • text and b/w illustration ©1997 & 2004 by Richard D. Perry.
  • Color photographs ©2004 by courtesy of Robert Starner. Thank you Bob for these wonderful pictures!

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