Tochimilco: the Murals

The rugged hillside monastery of Asunción Tochimilco stands on the upper slopes of Popocatepetl, above Atlixco. The mission is noted for its impressive, black and white tezontle front, its historic open chapel and 16th century fountain. 

the lost mural of St Christopher

The Murals
Although overzealous repair work beside the open chapel in the 1960s destroyed a dramatic fresco of St. Christopher on the adjacent tower, other murals survive in the cloister. 

The lower cloister with exterior portraits 

All that remains of the cloister murals are two series of bust portraits of Franciscan saints and other notables that appear above the outer and inner arcades of the lower cloister. Although not identified by name those on the outer arcade appear to be post colonial in date. 

 

Outer arcade portraits

 

The Outer Arcades
Framed and linked by a dark red Franciscan knotted cord, portraits of various saints appear above the springing of each arch, female for the most part, shown with their traditional attributes. Although minimally protected by an overhanging cornice, the exterior murals have been recently restored to some extent, but remain exposed to the weather.

The Inner Arcades
The portraits above the inner arcades are contained in ornamental cartouches, are generally better preserved and may be earlier, probably later colonial. These busts, almost all of anonymous friars, are generic without much individual character.

   For the most part they are framed in curls of red and turquoise blue against an ocher background, and again, linked by the Franciscan cord above. 

   

The inner arcade portraits 

 

  

Similarly framed mural portraits of the archangels Michael and Raphael grace the sanctuary arch inside the church.

Only one other mural has survived and that is the barely recognizable figure in the convento anteporteria of a cowled nun with a finger to her lips. Painted in warm monochrome with red accents, she seems to urge silence upon the visitor to the convento.

text © 2018 Richard D. Perry

color images by Niccolò Brooker and others