El retablo de San José en Santiago Tejupan, Oaxaca. Una obra construida con piezas de reúso

Abstract

New Spain altarpieces have been subject to modifications, reuse, and renovations since the mid-sixteenth century. These actions sought to give altarpieces a dignified appearance and, in some cases, to take advantage of the pieces that were still in good condition in order to minimize expenses. The lateral altarpiece of Saint Joseph that is preserved in the temple of Apostle Santiago in Tejupan, Oaxaca, is an example of this. This work was assembled from a set of pieces that were rescued in the mid-twentieth century. Its assembly sought to follow the coherence and manufacture canons of other altarpieces that are preserved in the temple, and thereby to safeguard the heritage of the community and the devotion that some inhabitants had to the images.