José Aragón

One of the few artists working in Spanish New Mexico during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Jose Aragon focused on religious images for churches and homes. He was a wood carver who used local woods such as ponderosa pine or cottonwood roots and also a painter who used watercolor and tempera. For his woodcarvings, his method was to cover the carved object with gesso or plaster and then apply color with watercolor paints. He was especially noted for his creative decorative motifs, color contrasts, boldness of line and abstract forms. Much of his work was creating monumental altar screens, and he also supervised church-decoration projects and carved retablos. Evidence shows that he was active for nearly fifty years, from 1815 to 1862.