The Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph
Artist:
Unknown
Period: Viceroyalty of New Spain
Date: 18th century
Place made:Mexico
Dimensions:
height: 6 in. (15.2 cm)
width: 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
depth: 4 in. (10.2 cm)
Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Dr. Douglas Edwards
Object number: 28.3768.1-2
Label Text
These elegantly carved figures were part of nativity sets used to teach the story of the birth of Christ. Elaborate nativities, containing hundreds of characters, were often set up in the atriums of convents and monasteries, a custom that persists today in parts of Latin America. Often, creche sets included figures dressed in local indigenous garb, performing daily tasks, such as preparing tortillas and making pottery. (Marion Oettinger, 1998)
On view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
