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DEGRAZIA
AND PADRE KINO |
This collection tells
the story of Father Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit priest who started the mission system in
what is now Northern Sonora Mexico and Southern Arizona. Father Kino was known as
a priest-colonizer and Father on Horseback. He lived from 1645 to 1711. As a missionary,
he achieved his goal of Christianizing the Indians without destroying their culture.
The mission system started by Father Kino consisted of 24 churches. San Xavier del
Bac, one of the most impressive churches, is located just south of Tucson on the Tohono
O’odham Indian reservation. It is featured in the painting “Fiesta at San Xavier Mission.”
This
is one of 20 paintings in a collection that portrays the story of the Spanish Christianization
of the Indians. Since the story is told
through DeGrazia’s eyes, what we see are images full of color and spirituality. The
artist chose his color pallete very carefully in painting this collection. Dark
colors to were used to portray the somber nature of the Spanish raids and light colors
were used to depict the feelings of hope generated by ceremonies such as weddings
and baptisms.
