PROPOSED MUSEUM
To House Priceless Collection of Painting
Twelve large paintings of the life of Mary were discovered in an old adobe church built in 1733. The church was built by the Jesuits and is where the surrounding Tarahumara communities worship. These paintings were removed by Father Verplancken when the church was underg6ing major repairs. The painting had deteriorated beyond recognition and it was Father's idea to clean them up and return them when the construction was complete. The painting are oil on canvas and measure approximately 7 feet by 4.75 feet.
Little did Father know that they would be described later by a curator of Anthropology from the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution as "paintings that constitute a truly spectacular series of incomparable historical and artistic value. 1 know of no other collection of paintings from the missions of northern Mexico that rivals this one in terms of quality of artistry or thematic development."
The cycle of 12 paintings "From The Life of the Virgin Mary" by Miguel Correa, miraculously preserved in a remote mission church in the Sierra Tarahumara Mountains, has the appeal of an apparition. Through research Father Verplancken learned that Miguel Correa completed the paintings about 1712. It remains a mystery as to how they came to be hung in this lovely little church in the community called Cusarare.
In the fall of 1992 two professional art restorers, Hubert Cepissak and Jan Coufal, offered their services restoring the paintings. The two Czech restorers completed the restoration in two visits of three months each over a two year period. They were to say of the paintings: "For the marvelous and refined color toning, sweet interpretation of the theme and strong feeling, the painting in Cusarare are works of the highest quality and importance and they rightly deserve the utmost attention and respect The painting of Miguel Correa does not lack of virtuosity."
Since the painting are too historically and artistically valuable, Father Verplancken has proposed that they be housed in a museum that will be constructed next to the church in Cusarare. It would be built as an old convent, with central patio, an entrance lobby, orientation room, ethnographic gallery, introduction gallery, painting galleries and a museum shop for Indian craft and art. 301 Tarahumara Indians have pledged their support for such a project and offer only what they have - labor - to build adobe bricks, cutting of trees for lumber and construction work. The museum building will make it possible for the paintings to be returned to their owners - the Tarahumara Indians. The valuable painting will be protected and preserved in this environment. Upon completion it becomes a tourist attraction and a continued source of revenue to the Tarahumara.
The firm of Ann Bella Associates, a highly regarded architectural firm from Boston, noted for planning and historical preservation, has offered their services and plans are near completion. In charge of the project is Thomas M. Hotaling AIA.
While no firm construction figures are yet available, the initial fund raising goal is for $85,000. There will be gallery space dedicated to explaining the collections. The story of the Correa paintings is a fascinating one which would add to the visitor's enjoyment and appreciation of the paintings - their background, historical context, etc. will be verbally and graphically shown in the gallery space.
Rendering of proposed museum on left and Cusarare Church on right.