Santos: Enduring Images of Northern New Mexican Village Churches [Paperback]

Marie Romero Cash (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2003

Richly illustrated with examples of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century art from northern New MexicoÂ’s village churches, Santos is an in-depth investigation into the artistic heritage of the New Mexican santero (saint maker). It is also an important study of northern New Mexican artisans and their craft.

Along with photographer Jack Parsons, Marie Romero Cash visited every church in the region and documented, identified, and measured each santos. Together they photographed more than 500 pieces, including 19 moradas (places of worship for Penitentes) and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Collection housed at the Museum of International Folk Art.

CashÂ’s extensive research into these formerly "anonymous" artisans fills a gap in the study of this unique form, making Santos indispensable for art historians and the general reader interested in the culture and art of the American Southwest.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This labor of love meticulously documents and will help protect an artistic tradition that dates back to New Mexico's colonial days. It should be held in the same high esteem as E. Boyd's seminal 1946 book, Saints and Saint Makers of New Mexico."

About the Author

Marie Romero Cash is a native of Santa Fe and a nationally known folk artist/santera. She has lectured and written widely on the subject of the New Mexican santero and the traditions and cultures of northern New Mexico.

Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Colorado (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870817485
• ISBN-13: 978-0870817489
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,913,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's about time, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Santos: Enduring Images of Northern New Mexican Village Churches (Hardcover)

Since E. Boyd wrote her almanac about the traditional arts of the 18th and 19th centuries in New Mexico and the surrounding areas, she was followed by several books written by Professor William Wroth, then at the Taylor Museum in Colorado Springs. Both his books were concerned with the Taylor collection of Santos, a huge representation housed in their Museum. However, Wroth's books are difficult reading, particularly for the novice and the collector. His usage of big words unnecessarily bog down the information, and there are few discoveries which separate his writings from those of the late E. Boyd. Miss Cash, on the other hand, has blessed us with an informative, easy to read book on the Santos in the New Mexican churches, replete with hundreds of photographs (many previously unpublished) which form a chain which extends from the 1760's to 1900. Yes, we would have loved for these photographs to be all color, but certainly the writing makes up for that lack. An ingenious detective search allowed Miss Cash to unearth the identities of two major santeros, the 18th Century Novice and the magnificent Laguna Santero. This book is must reading, not only for the collector, but for the researcher and those interested in the primitive arts of the region.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a tremendous effort, March 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Santos: Enduring Images of Northern New Mexican Village Churches (Hardcover)

I found "Santos" a very informative book. There have been other books written on this subject, but none have covered the subject so thoroughly. The author has discovered the names of two previously unknown santeros, and has proven her theories respectably; she has also gone into great detail to dispel many of the myths about the santeros created by other writers. I think this book is a must read about this subject. Granted, many of the photos are black and white, but that does not diminish the importance of the research. It was not designed to be a coffee-table book, and therefore the university press which published has done an ok job of reproducing the many photos. As I understand it, this book has received great reviews by the author's peers, perhaps some of which should be mentioned here: Tradicion Revista; New Mexico Magazine; Latina Magazine and many others. It has been called the "New Testament" as relates to the subject.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awards, March 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Santos: Enduring Images of Northern New Mexican Village Churches (Hardcover)

This book has just been awarded "Exceptional Books of 1999" by the A List, published by Bookman Book Review Syndicate and is a candidate for best book of the year. The reviewing panel found it to be worthy of such an award, and it was chosen over hundreds of books.