Patchwork art
The town of Tizimín, 167 km (104 miles) from Merida, is the seat of the largest municipality in Yucatan and a major region of agricultural production. Its name comes from the Maya Ti´tsimin, which means “place of the tapir”.
The parish church of the Three Kings stands in the center of the town. It forms part of an old Franciscan monastery built in 1563, according to Diego López Cogolludo in his Hostory of Yucatan. The present church dates from the mid-18th century, and was constructed on the initiative of the then parish priest Pedro Pablo Sousa y Navarrete. In the interior are images of the patrons: Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, whose veneration is at the center of a major demonstration of popular faith that has converted the church into a sanctuary and place of pilgrimage.
The reredos in the chancel is made from polychrome wood in tones of red and green, with gold leaf detailing. The piece consists of 2 levels and a gable. The style is eclectic, combining elements of various different artistic periods.
It is clear to see that parts of older structures have been re-used to create the reredos as it is now. For example, the Solomonic columns were a common feature of 17th-century altarpieces, while the panels bearing relief portraits of the apostles Peter and James date possibly from the late 16th or early 17th centuries. This type of altarpiece is referred to as “patchwork”, since it imitates or recreates pieces from previous eras, recycling old elements, as in this case.
The architectonic and decorative features that provide unity to the reredos, such as the cherubim, the symbols of the Evangelists, the pediments and the predella which supports the whole structure, as well as the images of the Trinity, the Calvary and two archangels, can all be identified with the work of Francisco Mena Valdés, a master sculptor, gilder and altarpiece builder who flourished around the mid-20th century, and whose works can be found in several churches both in Merida and elsewhere in the state.
The reredos, the statues of the Magi and other pieces that make up the artistic and religious heritage of the parish church of the Three Kings in Tizimín can all be viewed during the normal times of religious services.
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