Cuilapam 2011 - 05
by Lorena Cassady
Title
Cuilapam 2011 - 05
Artist
Lorena Cassady
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
Funded by the family of Hernan Cortez, the monastery was started by four Dominican monks in the 1550s. But construction carried on for a staggering 100 years. And in the end, construction costs grew so high that the project had to be abandoned. The Dominicans and the Cortez family were not known for their fair treatment of indigenous people and another theory for the halt in construction, however, is that the native population, who was being exploited for labor greatly dwindled over the decades. This ultimately left the monks with no workers. While the building complex was never completely finished due to its extravagant plan and expense, it was indeed used as a monastery and convent at certain points in its lifetime. It even functioned as a prison during the tumultuous era of a newly-independent Mexico
A stone wall with a circular window serves as a frame for a column visible through the opening. The rough texture of the weathered stones contrasts with the smooth lines of the column.
Uploaded
July 5th, 2024
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