The Virgin of El Zape and Jesuit Missions in Nueva Vizcaya

Abstract

This study focuses on the sculpture of the Virgin Mary at El Zape, a former early Jesuit mission site, in Durango, Mexico. It begins with the examination of the written sources, dating from 1617 to the eighteenth century, within their historical contexts. These sources are compared to one another and to the appearance of the sculpture today, as disclosed during a recent minor restoration. The result is a deeper historical and esthetic understanding of the texts and of the sculpture, which began as a miraculous missionary companion and patron for the Jesuits, with connections to representations ranging from Flemish prints to eighteenth-century paintings. The missionary image was eventually incorporated into the category of popular devotions within the bishopric of Durango.