(Mission San Jose Facade), (sculpture).

(Mission San Jose Facade), (sculpture).

Huizar, Pedro, b. 1740, sculptor.

(Mission San Jose Facade), (sculpture).

St. Anne and Child Mary, (sculpture).

St. Joachim, (sculpture).

Our Lady of Guadalupe With Angels, (sculpture).

St. Dominic, (sculpture).

St. Francis, (sculpture).

St. Joseph and Jesus, (sculpture).

San Jose and Jesus, (sculpture).

Crucifix, (sculpture).

Digital Reference:

Tufa limestone.

7 figures. Each figure: approx. H. 5 ft. x D. 3/4 ft.

Highly ornamented facade of historic mission church. At the top of the facade is an ornamented cross with the face of an angel and wings across the horizontal element. Centered below the cross on the next level down is a figure of St. Joseph, holding the Christ child. On his proper left is a figure of St. Francis holding a skull in his proper left hand and a cross in his proper right hand. To the proper right of St. Joseph is a figure of St. Dominic wearing a Dominican habit and holding a book in his proper right hand and a staff in his proper left hand. Above the main doorway on the facade is the figure of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The arch of the doorway is covered with figures of cherubim. Standing in a niche on the left side of the doorway is a figure of St. Joachim. Standing in a niche on the right side of the doorway is a figure of St. Anne. She holds the young child Mary in her proper right arm. Shells and pomegranate leaves decorate many elements of the elaborate facade. The facade and figures are carved of tufa limestone.

Religion -- New Testament -- Mary

Religion -- Saint -- St. Anne

Religion -- Saint -- St. Dominic

Religion -- Saint -- St. Francis

Religion -- Saint -- St. Joseph

Religion -- Saint -- St. Joachim

Religion -- Angel

Emblem -- Cross

Outdoor Sculpture -- Texas -- San Antonio

Architectural component

Administered by San Antonio Catholic Diocese - Mission San Jose Parrish, Catholic Chancery, 2718 West Woodlawn, San Antonio, Texas 78228

Located Mission San Jose, 6539 San Jose Drive, San Antonio, Texas

Title supplied by Inventory cataloger.

Nearby plaque: "The church was constructed between 1768 and 1782. In 1777 Fray Juan Augustia Morfi wrote that "The whole structure is admirably proportional and strongly built of stone and mortar, chiefly out of sandy limestone." Today, parts of the structure, the dome, the bell tower and the north wall are reconstructions."

The facade and figures were heavily damaged during the 1800's when the mission building was secularized. Restoration work was carried out in 1949 by Ernest Schuhard and Rufus Walker. IAS files contain copy of related report "Decorative and Applied Arts at the Missions", (Jacinto Quirarte, Research Center for the Arts, University of Texas, Aug. 1982). IAS files contain copy of related article from San Antonio Express, July 5, 1964; and excerpt from "The Texians and the Texans: The Mexican Texans", University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures, pg. 128-131.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Texas, San Antonio survey, 1993.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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