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A comparison of architectural design and decoration of the missions of California.

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A comparison of architectural design and decoration of the missions of California.

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Content A COMPARISON OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND DECORATION
OF THE MISSIONS OF CALIFORNIA
A Thesis
Presented to
the Faculty of the Department of Fine Arts
University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts
by
Jane Sperb
August 1940
UMI Number: EP57832
All rights reserved
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Dissertation Publishing
UMI EP57832
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' I ' a/ H (
This thesis, written by
..... JANE _SPSHB..............
under the direction of he.r~ Faculty Committee,
and a p p ro ve d by a ll its members, has been
presented to and accepted by the Council on
Graduate Study and Research in partial fu lfill
ment of the requirem ents f o r the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
D ean
.
Secretary
D a te August...l940......
Faculty Committee
Chairman
!
£
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE........ 1
The problem.............. 1
Statement of the problem................. 1
Scope of the investigation............... 1
Justification of the problem............. 3
Procedure and organization of remainder
of thesis . .............................. 4
Review of literature....................... 7
Historical literature . . ’ ................. 7
Architectural literature ................. 7
Popular literature ....................... 8
Pictures and reproductions ................. 8
C. C. Pierce ........... 8
Index of American Design................. 9
II. THE MISSIONS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.......... 10
San Diego.................................... 10
Building history..................... 10
Study of architectural design and
■ decoration.............................. IB
Tabulation of design and decoration at
San Diego........................... 15
San Luis R e y ................................ 16
Building history ......................... 16
iii
CHAPTER PAGE
Study of architectural design and
decoration ....■.' ................. 20
Tabulation of design and decoration at
San Luis R e y .............. 26
San Juan Capistrano................... 28
Building activities ......................... 28
Study of architectural design and
decoration . ................... 33
SerraTs church........................... . . 43
Designs and decorations to be found in the
other buildings at Capistrano ....... 47
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied.................................... 50
San Gabriel ....................... 52
History and building activities .............. 52
Study of architectural design and
decorations . . . ....................... 54
Tabulation of design and decoration at
San Gabriel......................... 58
San Fernando . .......... 59
Building history ..... ................. 59
Study of architectural design and decoration.
Windows, shutters, grilles ......... 66
The old chapel . ‘............................ 71
iv
CHAPTER PAGE
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied.............. 73
San Buenaventura.............................. 74
Building history.............* ............ 74
Study of architectural designs and
decorations................................ 77
Tabulation of designs and decoration
studied.................................... 81
Santa Barbara........................... . . . . 81
Building history ............................ 81
Study of architectural design and
decoration................................ 88
The mission house............................ 99
Window grilles and shutters................... 100
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied.......................................102
III* THE MISSIONS OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA................ 104
Santa I n e s .......................................104
Building history ............................ 104
Study of architectural design and
decoration................... 106
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied..................... 113
La Purisima Concepcion..........................114
V
CHAPTER PAGE
Building history . . ........... ...... 114
Study of architectural designs and
decoration................................ 117
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied.................................... 122
San Luis Obispo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Study of architectural design and
decoration at San Luis Obispo.............125
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied .................................. 127
San M i g u e l .................................... 128
Building history.............. 128
Study of architectural design and
decoration................................ 130
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied.................................... 133
San Antonio de P a d u a ..........................133
Building history.......... •................ 133
Study of architectural design and
decoration................................ 137
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied.....................................139
Sole d a d .........................................139
Building history ......................... 139
vi
CHAPTER PAGE
Study of architectural design and
decoration.................................. 142
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied . . ............................. . 143
San luan Bautista.......... . . . . . .............143
Building history ............... 143
Study of architectural design and
decoration.................................. 146
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied ......... ................. 149
IV. THE MISSIONS OF THE BAY A R E A ......................150
San Carlos Borromeo.............................. 150
Building history ........................ 150
Study of architectural design and
decoration 153 •
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied.......................................158
Santa Cruz ............................158
Building history ......................158
Study of architectural design and
decoration.................................. 160
■ * Tabulation of design and decoration
studied .............................. 162
CHAPTER PAGE
Santa Clara................................... 163
Building history .......................... 163
Study of architectural design and
decoration.................................. 164
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied........................ 167 '
San lose de Guadalupe.................... 168
Building history ............................ 168
Study of architectural design and
decoration............................ 169
* Tabulation of design and decoration
studied.......................................170
San Francisco de Asis............................170
Building history............................... 170
Study of architectural design and
decoration . . . ...........................172
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied............................... 175
San Rafael . *.................................... 176
Building history............................... 176
Study of architectural design and
decoration .................................. 177
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied .................................... 179
viii
CHAPTER PAGE
San Francisco Solano (Sonoma,) ................. 180
Building history . . . ...................... 180
Study of architectural design and
decoration ..................... 181
Tabulation of design and decoration
studied . .............. 182
V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS......................... 183
BIBLIOGRAPHY........ ' ................................ 214
ILLUSTRATIONS.............................. ■........... 224
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
ILLUSTRATION PAGE
1. San Diego from an 1.846 Print .......... 225
2. San Luis Rey: Facade Detail.................. 226
3. Elliptical Bay,.Stone Church, San Juan
Capistrano............ 227
4. Doorway, Stone Church, San Juan Capistrano . . . 227
5. Wall Paintings, Stone Church .................... 228
6. Keystone, Stone Church, San Juan Capistrano . . . 228
7. Ceiling Decoration, Stone Church, San Juan
Capistrano................................. 228
8. Vestibule, Serra Church, San Juan Capistrano . . 229
9. Interior, Serra Church, San Juan Capistrano . . . 229
10. Wall Decorations, Serra Church, San Juan
Capistrano................................. 230
11. Dado, Ceiling beams and corbels, Serra Church,
San Juan Capistrano........................ 230
12. Doorway and arcade, San Juan Capistrano..... 231
13. Doorway, San Juan Capistrano................ 231
14. Window, San Juan Capistrano.................. -231
15. Keystone, San Juan Capistrano.................... 232
16. Keystone, San Juan Capistrano............. 232
17. Keystone, San Juan Capistrano................... 232
18. Gable and. niched buttress, San Gabriel......... 233
X
- ILLUSTRATION PAGE
19. Doorway and Keystone detail, San Gabriel .... 233
20. Be 11-wall, San Gabriel ................. 234
■21. Buttresses, San Gabriel................... 234
22. Shell Niche and Doorway, San Gabriel ........... 235
23. Capital, San Gabriel................... 236
24. South Wall, Governor’s Boom, San Fernando Rey . . ' 237
25. Main Entrance, San Fernando Rey . . \ . . ... . . 237
26. Grille, San Fernando Rey . . ........... 237
27. Church Interior-, San Fernando R e y ............ 238
26. Side Doorway, San Buenaventura............. 239
29. Wall Painting, San Buenaventura . ............. 239
30. Grille, San Buenaventura . .................... 239
31. Facade, Santa Barbara ............................ 240
32. Ceiling-vent, Santa Barbara Church . ......... 241
33. Cemetery Doorway, Santa Barbara Church ..... 241
34. Grille, Santa Barbara Mission House ............. 242
35. Main Door, Santa Barbara Mission House ......... 242
36. 'Wall Decoration, Santa Barbara Church ...... 243
37. Wall Decoration, Santa Barbara Church ........... 243
38. Wall Decoration, Santa Barbara Church ........... 243
39. Window, Santa Barbara Church .................... 244
40. Chancel Railing, Santa Barbara Church ........... 244
41. Ceiling Decoration, Santa Barbara Church .... 244
xi
ILLUSTRATION PAGS
42. Reception Room,■Santa Barbara Mission House . . . 245
43. Niche-, Main Entrance, Santa Ines Church ..... 246
44. Ceiling Beams and Corbel, Santa I n e s ....... 247
45. Window decoration, Santa Ines ................. 247
46. Choir Gallery, Santa Ines ......... ....... 247
47. Wall Decoration, Santa Ines..................... 248
48. Wall Decoration, Santa Ines........... . . . 248
49. Wall Painting, Santa Ines 249 .
50. Border Design, La Purisima Concepcion . 250
51. Lunette; and wall decoration, Main Door, San
Luis Obispo . ................................ 251
52. Main Doors, San Luis Obispo.............. . 251
53. Door, San Miguel ................. 252
54. Wall Painting,San Miguel...................... 253
55. Interior Detail,San Miguel.................... 253
56. Wall Painting . . .......... . 254
57. Doorway, San Juan Bautista.............. .. 255
58. Shutter, San Juan Bautista.................. 255
59. Grille, San Juan Bautista ............... .. . 255
60. Facade, San Carlos Borromeo .. .. ....... 256
61. Entrance, San Carlos Borromeo.................. •. 256
62. Santa Cruz from an early p r i n t ............ 257
63. Santa Clara from an early tin-type......... 258
64. Wall Painting, Santa Clara . . . ............. 259
xii
ILLUSTRATION PAGE
65. Ceiling, Sanctuary, Santa Clara ......... 260
66. San lose de Guadalupe from an early photograph . 261
67. Facade Detail,San Francisco de Asis ....... 262
68. Facade, San Francisco de Asis............ 262
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AHD REVIEW OF LITERATURE
I. THE PROBLEM
Statement of the problem. It has been the purpose of
this investigation to study the designs and decorations used
in the missions in California in order to discover the scope
of the problem and to compare the uses of significant motifs.
Scope of the investigation.' The problem of comparing
the architectural design and decorations in the missions of
California has been one of taking an extensive field of de
sign and trying to discover where in this field there are
similarities and where there are differences. The field
studied has been the twenty-one Franciscan Missions of Alta
California. The writer has arbitrarily ignored studying the
asistencias, the parish church in Los Angeles, and the
Presidio Church at Monterey. These buildings have been fre
quently considered as a part of the field of California
mission history and architecture, but have been omitted in
this study as certain arbitrary eliminations seemed necessary
in view of the present problem which was an attempt to draw
certain generalities from a number of particular instances.
The designs and decorations compared have been the
decorative architectural details and designs, as well as a
2
few constructive features which, have been considered as ele
ments of design rather than construction. More specifically,
the study included the decoration of facades, doorways,
doors, windows, shutters, window grilles, and carvings and
paintings on the interior walls as well as carvings and
paintings on the exterior walls. In some cases the very
lack of decoration has been used as a comparison since the
nature of the problem warrants this liberty. The arbitrary
eliminations due to the wide range of material included:
altars, reredos, pulpits, chandeliers, lighting fixtures,
wall brackets, bells, baptismal fonts, garden decorations
such as fountains and benches, confessionals, keys, locks,
lanterns, lecterns, tabernacles, and water spouts. As the
title suggests, none of the furniture, vestments, statuary,
nor other religious relics have been studied. In view of
the breadth of the problem emphasis has been made on church
decoration rather than on mission-house decoration, and al
though the mission houses have been included in the study,
the writer wished to inform future students that the study
of mission architectural decoration as defined in the prob
lem has been by no means exhausted. Index of American De
sign workers are gradually discovering new decorations under
the whitewashed walls and these will reveal more material to
study.
The mission churches and houses have been in many
3
cases restored since their completion under the Franciscan
padre supervision. The writer has arbitrarily eliminated
the study of decorations made in the churches and mission
houses that have not attempted to adhere to the original
decoration. The decorations studied are, therefore, for the
most part considered to he those done by Indian neophytes
under padre supervision within a few years after the comple
tion of the final church and mission house structures at
each mission. Where the designer or worker1s name has been
•recorded this was noted, but in all other cases it was as
sumed that the work was done either by Indian neophytes under
the supervision of padres or by a hired workman whose name
was not recorded.
Justification of the problem. At the time of under
taking the study of decoration in the California missions
(Summer, 1938), the writer knew of no similar study. Since
that time Index of American Design research workers have
written several monographs in the field of mission decora
tion and ornamentation. Where information in these writings
was found significant, it has been used freely by the writer
with credit given to the authors. The writer hoped by this
study to have opened the field for study of decoration in
the California missions as well as for some study of the
many articles to be found in mission museums. Any student
*
interested in art history- will find an extensive field in
the many church vestments and religious objects to be found
in the California mission museums as well as the paintings
and fixtures and statuary within the churches.
Procedure and organization of remainder of thesis.
A review was first made of existing literature on the Cali
fornia missions. This was followed by a detailed study of
all work done by the Index of American Design in regard to
the California missions. Each of the missions was then
visited where an attempt was made to study and photograph
additional decorations not previously noted. In the cases
of the mission buildings which have been completely obliter
ated, the files of C. C. Pierce were consulted. Mr. Pierce
has a complete group of reproductions of the California
missions covering photographs made in the late nineteenth
century as well as the earlier etchings and drawings of
Vischer and Ford.
The remainder of the thesis has been organized geo
graphically rather than historically. This is believed to
be the more logical organization for the purpose of study
ing this particular problem. Although the twenty-one mis
sions were founded over a period of fifty-four years, the
mission buildings studied were actually built during a much
shorter space of time. At every mission at least one church
was erected before the padres were authorized to build a
permanent edifice and it must be assumed that many of the
decorative elements date from a period slightly later than
the completion of the final edifice* In comparing the de
signs and decorations of the buildings, furthermore, it has
been acknowledged that there is an emphasis on geographical
kinship between the different missions as far as decoration
and design are.considered. For this reason, it was decided
as most expedient to organize the chapters in relation to
geography, rather than to time of founding or building. By
reviewing the table of contents it will"be seen that the
study proceeds from south to north. The second chapter in
cludes the missions from San Diego to Santa Barbara, or the
Southern California group.
Although Santa Ines, the next mission to the north
has many similarities to Santa Barbara, the writer believed
that it should be included in the group of central missions,
as far as general design and execution of decoration are
concerned. The third chapter then includes the missions
from Santa Ines and La Purisima Concepcion to San Juan
Bautista. Although San Carlos mission might be considered
in this chain geographically, it has many features of design
which are similar to design elements used in the San Fran-
cisco Bay area. For this reason both.of the missions on the
Monterey Bay (San Carlos Borromeo and Santa Cruz) have been
included under the fourth chapter, "The Missions of the Bay
6
Areas."
Chapters two, three, and four have each fallen into
seven sub-heads with a similar outline under each of these
consisting of a short building history and a study of design
and decoration. Since the field is extensive, preliminary
material must of necessity consume a great deal of space.
In organization, however, an attempt has been made to make
the more pertinent studies of designs and motifs quickly
available in the form of tabulations.
In most cases Father Zephryin Fngelhardt’s histories
have been relied on in the review of building history. Be
tween 1794 and 1834 periodical reports were made concerning
activities at the missions by the padres in charge. This
material was filed in the California Archives in San Fran
cisco, but was destroyed by the fire of 1906. In 1904, how
ever, Father Fngelhardt copied what was found in the Spanish
documents regarding the missions.1 The material may be found
in greater detail in Engelhardtfs histories of the different
California missions, but has been used here in coming to cer
tain conclusions regarding designs and decorations in the
missions and thus has been stated as briefly as possible.
The last chapter, consisting of summary and conclu
sions, was based on the short -tabulations appearing in each
1 Zephyrin Engelhardt, San luan Capistrano, p. 26.
7
division of the missions.
II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
There is an extensive literature on the California
missions, aside from the many references made to the missions
in California history. The three fields into which the
writer believed California mission literature might be
placed are historical, architectural, and popular. To this
may be added the many paintings, drawings, photographs, and
other pictorial reproductions of the missions.' .
Historical literature. The works of Father Zephyrin
Engelhardt are believed by this writer to be one of the
finest in the field of historical literature. Engelhardt
has made historical studies of both the California and
Arizona missions which are well illustrated with photographs
and reproductions of old drawings. Bancroft has also writ
ten some valuable literature on mission history and the
stories of the padres. And Dr. Herbert E. Bolton, who has
translated many of the old manuscripts,from the Spanish, may
be considered as a valuable authority. Palou, Clinch, and
Lummis are other historians of note who have written both
on the missions and their founders.
Architectural literature. There have been several
works published which include detailed architectural draw-
ings of the missions. Considered one of the most reliable
authorities both from the point of history and architecture
is Rexford Newcomb, several of whose works are listed in the
bibliography.
Frances Rand Smith has written several volumes on
mission architecture and history, thecne.ai San Carlos
Borromeo having been of particular value in this study.
Popular literature. Probably some of the finest
works of a popular nature are those of George Wharton James.
JamesT writings are valuable in that they give many impor
tant clues either for the study of mission architecture or
history. Unfortunately his works are not documented. The
volume written by Mrs. Fremont Older is also good. Mrs.
Holway has written an interesting volume entitled Art of
the Old World in New Spain. Although considered under popu
lar literature, this volume was undoubtedly the result of
much research.
III. PICTURES' AND REPRODUCTIONS
£• Fierce* Ttie extensive files of California mis
sion pictures owned by C. C. Pierce have been an invaluable
aid to the writer. They consist of reproductions of old -
paintings, etchings, and photographs as well as many photo
graphs taken by Mr. Pierce himself from the latter part of
the nineteenth century to the present date.
Index of American Design.^ The Index of American De
sign artists in Southern California have made many recon
struction drawings in color of designs, decorations, and
artifacts to be found in the California'missions. The
artists’ drawings have been made into plates which are sup
plemented by many photographs taken by Mr. Paul Park. Both
the plates and the photographs have been an invaluable aid
in this study, as well as the help offered by Mr. Dana
Bartlett the present director of the Index of American De
sign, division of the Federal Art Project in Southern Cali
fornia. The Index of American Design project was started in
Southern California April 1, 1936, and has not been com
pleted at this writing.
2
P. A. Federal Art Project. Index of American
Design, Southern California.’
CHAPTER II
THE MISSIONS -IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The missions studied in this chapter include those
from San Diego in the south to Santa Barbara in the north.
All of these missions are within easy reach of the coast if
not actually within a few steps of the water front. Taken
as a whole the missions of Southern California comprise the
greatest field of the three areas studied in regard to de
sign and decoration. Parts of all of these missions are
still intact as they were left by the padres when seculari
zation halted missionary as well as building activities.
And as a whole the missions seem to have been the products
of more care than those in central California and the San
Francisco bay area.
I. SAN DIEGO
Building history. San Diego, the first mission of
the Alta California chain, was founded by Junipero Serra on
July 16, 1769, with the aid of Fr. Fernando Parron. By
August of 1774, the establishment had been moved and a
wooden church roofed with tiles had been constructed. In
4
1775, the mission buildings were destroyed by Indians.1
1 Zephyrin Engelhardt, San~ Diego Mission, p. EBB.
11
New buildings were ready for occupation by October of the
following year,2 In 1780, the new adobe church was strength
ened and roofed with pine timbers. This church had four win-
—)
dows at the time of completion (1780) which were all protected
by cedar grilles and provided with shutters inside. There
were two doors, one at the end and one on the patio side. ^
The latter was sheltered with an extension supported on oak
posts.® Fr. Lasuen may have had a hand in the work at this
church as he remained at San Biego until 1785, when he be
came Friar Superior of the Upper California chain. On May
85, 1803, an earthquake slightly damaged the church. Five
years later there is a report by Fr. Sanchez that work had
begun on the new church in September, 1808. Therefore, it
is to Fraile Sanchez that credit is given for the design of
the present building completed in November, 1813.4 The
period of secularization and decline followed at this mis
sion as it did at all of the others. During the occupation
of the American forces in 1853-1857, a second story was —
built into a portion of the mission. In 1883, little was
left of the mission buildings save a portion of the church
and adj acent dormitories.
2 Engelhardt, San Diego Mission, p.. 838.
^ Rexford Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches' and His
toric Houses of California, p. 119.
4 Engelhardt, o£. cit., p. 848.
IE
R
In 1891,attempts were made to restore San Diego,
Restoration work was carried on by the Landmarks Club in
1899, and in the early part of the twentieth century Father
Ubach furthered the work,. After his death in 1907, restora
tion was not resumed until 1815; and the work was completed
7
in 1951 under the supervision of J. M. Miller, who was
aided by the California State Historical Society headed by
Dr. Owen C. Coy.8
Study of architectural design and decoration. Illus-
9
tration 1 (page 225) is a reproduction of an early drawing
of the buildings at San Diego. According to this representa
tion there was a curved pediment, a round-arched window with a
short cornice line above it, and a tiered bell-tower. Evi
dence accumulated by Dr. Coy and J. M. Miller, however, shows
that the pierced belfry was believed to have been of the
flat wall type. John Russell Bartlett, who visited San Diego
in 1852, a few years after this picture was made,
^ Engelhardt, San Diego Mission, p. 306.
6 George Wharton James, In and Out of the Old Missions t
p. 386.
7
Mrs. Fremont Older, California Miss ions and Their
Romances, p. 19.
o
James Marshall Miller, "Recreating Padre Architec
ture at Mission San Diego de Alcala," September, 1931.
9 C. C. Pierce, Print No. 5905.
13
found that the buildings possessed more of an oriental ap
pearance than any similar establishments a photo of 1886
shows features similar to the 1846 drawing. The roof, how
ever, is lower pitched, the eaves are wide, the lean-to
porch or vestibule has disappeared and the tower is also
missing.1- * - Later photos corroborate the evidence that the
second story was constructed during the military occupation
ip
in the 1850fs. Other early photographs show that the
corridor at this mission was formed by posts and a lean-to
roof, construction similar to that found in some of the
missions around the San Francisco Bay area. A sketch made
by Williamson to send to the war department shows in this
case a bell-wall with curved gable has been added.13 It has
four tiers and the apertures are pointed rather than rounded,
but this may have been due to inaccurate drawing. A repro-
14
duction by Vischer in 1875 shows the side entry of the
church with a round-headed doorway resting on projecting
capitals with a cornice molding above. The windows seen in
this reproduction are square-headed.
Engelhardt, San Diego Mission, p. 264.
S 1 1 * > P • ios.
* 12 , p• 304.
13 G. C. Pierce, Print No. 6128.
1 4
C. C. Pierce, Print No. 7226.
14
One of the more recent writers to describe the mis
sion was Mrs. Forbes, who stated that little more than the
facade of the mission remained when she visited it. She
described the facade as a plain, smooth adobe wall terminat
ing in a broad, high arch that gave a graceful outline
against the sky. One small square window and a large arched
doorway below are the only openings in the facade, she con
tinued. ^ 5
Rexford Newcomb, in his 1925 volume, states that the
facade of the church had a pleasant and graceful curved
pediment. The upper portion of the tower, he continued, had
disappeared and some doubt existed as to its original form.
Some believed it was a pierced belfry similar to that at
San Gabriel, while others thought it was the terraced type
like that at Santa Barbara. An old painting, now hanging in
St. Joseph’s rectory and purporting to represent the mission
at 1840, shows the terraced type. There is also evidence to
believe that there had been a shelter over the front en
trance. The pockets into which the ends of the beams of
this shelter were fitted could still be seen in the ancient
adobe walls when Newcomb visited the church.16 A nineteenth
"I K
Harrie Rebecca Piper Forbes, California Missions
and Landmarks and How to Get There, p. 14.
1 ( K
Newcomb, Old Mission Churches and Historic Houses
of California, p. 122.
15
century painting-*-^ shows San Diego with the pierced type
"belfry. The facade is also minus the porch in front of the
main doorway in this painting.
The James description mentioned that the remaining
vestiges of this church were similar to San Luis Rey. James
also remarked that the austere simplicity of the church was
most pleasing. The bricks of which the arched doorway was
built were brought forward a few inches in advance of the
main wall. Then, at the arch, the wall itself was recessed
another inch or two, and arch and recesses were crowned with
a five membered cornice; the members were brick and each
row was set forward an inch or two beyond the row beneath.^-8
Mrs. Fremont Older states that the church with its oriental
appearance and its austere, satisfying facade was later the
model for the one at San Luis Rey.^9
Tabulation of design and decoration at San Diego.
Church completed in 1780:
Adobe construction with pine roof.
Four windows protected by cedar grilles and inside
shutters.
Two doors, one sheltered with extension supported on oak
posts.
Francisco Falou, Historical Memoirs of New Cali
fornia , III, 264.
18 James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 323.
Older, California Missions and Their Romances,
p. 19.
16
Church completed in 1813:
Adobe with tile roof.
Vestibule with three arched entries.
Possibility of tiered bell tower with round-headed
apertures or bell-wall.
Curved pediment on facade.
Round-headed facade window with cornice line above.
Corridor on posts.
Round-headed doorway resting on projecting capital.
Square-headed windows.
Occupation in 1850Ts:
Second story added.
II. SAN LUIS REY
Building history. Although the mission was founded
June 13, 1798, it was not until some time after that build
ings reached a substantial state. The first chapel as with
the other mission was of poles and b r a n c h e s . However, by
July 12, Fr. Lasuen reported that 6,000 adobes had been made
and July 18, 1798, foundation had been completed for five
rooms measuring about ninety feet. By August 29, three of
the rooms had been completed, and by the end of the year a
considerable number of buildings had been erected for dwell
ings. Succeeding years brought guardhouses, storerooms, and
granaries all of adobe and roofed with tile. In 1808, Father
Peyri noted certain enrichments for the church, so apparently
a temporary structure had been built for worship. In 1811,
the fathers at San Luis Rey made plans for a more worthy
Engelhardt, San Luis Rey Mission, p. 8.
17
church edifice. It was at this time that the foundations
for the present structure were laid. By 1812, the adohe
walls of the new church rose to the height of the cornice,
the wall all around the vineyard was completed. The 1813
report stated that a wing had been added to the main row
of buildings, a corridor had been erected along the front of
the wing. In,the patio the arches of the corridor had .
reached one half the proposed height, and more material had
been collected to continue the work on the new church.^1
The new structure was dedicated on October 4, 1815. Appar
ently there was some sort of a master builder at this mis
sion, for in a report of 1818 Fr. Peyri writes that the
Master Salvador had assisted in repairs at Pala, the
asistencia of San Luis Rey.22 Mrs. Fremont Older writes
that the church, started in 1811 and planned by Fathers
Peyri and Boscana, was carried out by Antonio Kocha, a
Portuguese sailor, who had helped erect Santa Barbara.23 Af
ter 1823, due to the political upheavals the building acti
vities lagged, and according to Fr. Engelhardt, the fathers
confined themselves to preserving what had been so far
effected and to decorating the interior of the church.24
^ Engelhardt, San Luis Rey Mission, ' p. 22.
22 IbicL* , p. 36.
prz
^ Older, California Missions,and Their Romances,
p. 250.
24-
Engelhardt, loc. cit.
18
In December, 1829, however, Peyrifs report brought
the information that everything was adorned for divine wor
ship. On the church edifice a graceful dome was built; this
supported a smaller cupola sustained by eight columns. This
little cupola or lantern was formed for 144 panes of glass
through which light descended into the sanctuary and nave be_-
low.2^
In 1834 the mission was confiscated and destructive
elements took the place of building activities. Only the
church itself escaped ruin, but the interior was badly de
faced.
On October,28, 1845, Pico published his decree for
the sale and leasing of the mission. May 18, 1846, Pico
sold San Luis Rey to Jose A. Cot and Jose A. Pico. The
troops under Kearny and Stockton arrived at the mission in
the beginning of 1847. August 1, 1847, Captain J. D. Hunter
was appointed agent over San Luis Rey. March 18, 1865, the
mission property was returned to the Catholic Church.
In time the beautiful dome began to sink, and soon the
roof was on the verge of caving in. Thus all was gloom
till 1892. In that year, two Mexican Franciscans visited
the ruins of San Luis Rey. They were Reverend J. G.
Alva, and Rev. D. Rangel. They wished to establish a
monastery and seminary, and finally obtained permission
for the Pope to do so at San Luis Rey. The church was
25 Engelhardt, San Luis Rey Mission, p. 38.
26 Ibid., p. 833. •
19
repaired sufficiently to allow the celebration of the
holy Sacrifice within its walls.
The process of restoration of the mission began in
.1892. Father O’Keefe was manager during reconstruction, and
in May, 1894, the church was rededicated. The old Moorish
dome over the chancel in the church was restored and such
other buildings added as would serve the new purpose of the
mission, all resembling as nearly as possible the original
designs in the arrangement of grounds and erections.28
In 1892, two Mexican Franciseians arrived seeking a
mission school sight to train men for the Order. Bishop Mora
gave them San Luis Rey. Father I. J. O’Keefe acquainted them
with customs. Soon walls were fortified and the church was
re-roofed. The octagonal mortuary chapel with its original
tile floor was brought back. In 1912, Father O’Keefe retired
and Wallischeck continued restoration. Father Dominic
Gallardo and Father Ferdinand Ortiz brought to light murals
in the church walls as well as some of the old fountains.29
In 1927, Charles Fletcher Lummis stated that the
church was in fine shape and in full use in hands of Francis
cans with their Novitiate and Sister’s School.
27 Engelhardt, San Luis Rey Mission, p. 243.
Jesse S. Hilldrup, The Missions of California and
The Old Southwest, p. 73.
29
Older, California Missions and Their Romances, pp.
257-8.
Charles Fletcher Lumrnis, The Spanish Pioneers and
the California Missions, p. 133.
EO
Study of archi te ctural design and decoration. Rex-
ford Newcomb, in 1915, was apparently one of the first to
study the architecture of the missions in detail and make
any general observations concerning them. For instance, he
found that San Luis Rey was one of the missions which boasted
masonry domes— that over the octagonal sanctuary and those
on the terraced bell towers. This mission also had two ex
amples of the curved gable or pediment to be found in the
Mission architecture extensively. These were the church
facade itself and the cemetery wall. And the terraced bell
towers to be found at several of the establishments were also
to be found here. The surmounting dome was in plan an ir
regular octagon and the lantern above square in plan. This
was true of all California mission bell towers.31 When
Charles Francis Saunders visited San Luis Rey, he found ”an
expeditious little fraile in a tattered:', straw hat” repairing
the dhmedc roof ofc " ‘ tb£ octagonal side chapel.3^ si&e
doorway, Saunders continued, was simple and beautiful with
pillars, capitals, and molding, and the Indian mural adorn
ments had been restored in vivid reds, blues, greens, and
yellows.33
A Rexford Newcomb, "The Architecture of the Missions
of Alta California,” p. 38.
Charles Saunders and J. Smeaton Chase, The Cali
fornia Padres and Their Missions, p. 36.
33 Ibid.. , pp. 35-37.
20
Study of architectural design and decoration. Here
ford Newcomb, in 1915, was apparently one of the first to
study the architecture of the missions in detail and make
any general observations concerning them. For instance, he
found that San Luis Rey was one of the missions which boasted
masonry domes— that over the octagonal sanctuary and those
on the terraced bell-towers. This mission also had two ex
amples of the curved gable or pediment to be found in the
Mission architecture extensively. These were the church
facade itself and the cemetery wall. And the terraced bell
towers to be found at several of the establishments were also
to be found here. The surmounting dome was in plan an ir
regular octagon and the lantern above square in plan. This
31
was true of all California mission bell towers. When
Charles Francis Saunders visited San Luis Hey, he found "an
expeditious little fraile in a tattered straw hat" repairing
the domed roof of the octagonal side chapel.The side
doorway, Saunders continued, was simple and beautiful with
pillars, capitals, and molding, and the Indian mural'adorn
ments had been restored in vivid reds, blues, greens, and
yellows-.33
^ Hexford Newcomb, "The Architecture of the Missions
of Alta California," p. 38. .
32 Charles Saunders and J. Smeaton Chase, The Cali
fornia Padres and Their Missions, p. 36.
33 Ibid., pp. 35-37.
31
Rexford Newcomb, in his volume on the missions, pub
lished ten years after his thesis was presented, has little
to add to his original observations except that the .doorways
of San Luis Rey were unusually ornate.34
George Wharton James, in speaking of San Luis Rey,
mentions that there were on the facade two brackets at the
foot of niches for statues (Illustration 3, page 336j.
These were built of rounded courses of bevelled brick,
molded to the shape required. This construction was also
used for the pilasters or engaged columns of the facade.
There were doorways to the right and the left. But the
former which used to lead into the Mortuary Chapel had been
bricked up. James further noted that a semicircular arch
spanned the church from side to side, about thirty feet, and
here could be seen remains of the original decoration.
These, James observed, were in a rude imitation of marble,
as at Santa Barbara, in red and black with bluish green
lines. The wall colorings were in imitation of black marble.
And although the holy-water vessels had both been removed
from their places in the wall, the original decorations
that surrounded them remained when James visited the church.
As to the arrangement of the church he found that there
w as a series of four pilasters on either side of the nave
34 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 110.
22
wall. They consisted of a base with a four-membered wains-
cott molding above which the columns rose to within about
two feet of the ceiling.
Here, equally simple mouldings crown the pilaster.
The decoration is imitation of marble. The bricks of
which the pilasters are built are burnt, and the corner
ones are specially moulded in a 'rounded device to add a
pleasing effect. Over each window the original dis
temper decorations remain, stretching out to the sides
from a kind of mosaic star.35
James was particularly interested in the Mortuary
Chapel at this mission. He wrote:
The Mortuary Chapel is perhaps as fine a piece of
work as any in the whole Mission chain. It was
crowned with a domed roof of heavy cement. The en
trance was by the door in the church to the right of
the main entrance. The room is octagonal, with the
altar in a recess, over which is a dome of brick with
a small lantern. At each point of the octagon there
is an engaged column, built of circular-fronted brick
which run to a point at the rear and are thus built
into the wall. A three-membered cornice crowns each
column, which supports arches that reach from one
column to another. There are two windows, one to the
southeast, the other northwest. The altar is at the
northeast. There are two doorways with stairways which
lead to a small outlook over the altar and the whole
interior. These were for the watchers of the dead.
The altar and its recess are most interesting,'the rear
wall of the former being decorated in the classic de
sign. The original altar table rested upon a vase-like
base, built of brick and cement, now in ruins.
James further describes San Luis ReyTs facade with
its three niches for statues, one on either side of the door
way and one in the center of the pediment. He further notes
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, pp. 257-8.
36 Ibid., p. 260.
23
that the facade is divided into three unequal portions. The
ends of the two outer walls of the main building were faced
with pilasters which support the cornice of the pediment,
which in turn supports a lantern which some architects re
gard as misplaced.3? Below the cornice and above the en
tablature, James continued, was a circular window. The
entablature was supported by engaged columns upon which
rested a heavily molded cornice above the semicircular arch
of the doorway. The San Luis Rey tower, James found, was an
irregular octagon with four greater and four lesser sides.
The dome prolonged the exaggerated chambers of the stories
below. James believed that a second tovfer was probably
planned at San Luis Rey.
Mrs. Fremont Older, one of the recent writers on the
California missions, believes that this church was influ
enced by Santa Barbara. The old mural decorations remained
after the occupation of this mission by troops. Some of the
mural ornamentations over each window stretched out to the
side and formed a star. On the reredos at the side alter
were also visible distemper ornamentations. The facade she
described with its extension walls to the right of the main
building, niches for statues, imposing pilasters supporting
37 James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 260.
, p. 314.
24
the cornice of the pediment of the semi-circular doorway
arch and its octagonal tower with four greater and lesser
sides, where hung three bells.39 In regard to wall paint
ings at this mission, Warren Lemmon states that San Luis
Rey "is making its contribution to our understanding of this
period. The wall paintings which Mr. Lemmon mentioned
are for the most part crude restorations of former work.
The colors seem to be very inharmonious in some cases, and
there is an over-profusion of marbleized work. There are
some design elements which can be mentioned in connection
with this study. The dado was found to be of particular
interest to the writer because it is composed of elements
identical with a print found in the files of Mr. C. C.
Pierce of Los Angeles.4- * - This print is a reproduction of a
picture taken by George Wharton James in 1905, and was
labeled with his hand writing as a wall decoration found at
San Juan Bautista (Illustration 56, page 254) . Mr. Pierce
suggested, however, that this may have been a mistake in
labeling on the part of Mr. James since he had been known to
make similar errors.42 The design which the writer viewed
39 Older, California Missions and Their Romances,
p. 257.
49 Warren W. Lemmon, "The Study of Early American
Wall Painting in Southern California," Index of American
Design, p. 10.
4- * - C. C* Pierce Print No. 4455.
42 Interview C. C. Pierce, July 20, 1940.
35
at San Luis Rey had been painted over so that the lines of
the swirl of the top-most register of the dado were serrated
resembling a-holly leaf. The base of the dado was in black
and ended in a horizontal line broken by scallops. The dis
continuous lozenge pattern is in green, buff, and terracotta
with brilliant blue feelers. The conventionalized leaf and
flower border above this is in red and blue with a terra
cotta center and a brilliant green leaf. The cornice above
the confessionals in this church is decorated with a border
of a half of a petalled flower within a semicircle separated
by small ovules. The colors are blue on buff. The base on
which the pilasters rest is diapered in an all over green
and blue lozenge motif* The substructure beneath the base
which is on a line with the wall dado uses a lozenge as the
central motif with leaves filling the comers. The design
below the cornice molding of the ceiling is again the
straight line broken by alternating convex and concave semi
circles. Tassels are painted on the wall to hang from the
center of the semicircles. The decoration around the win
dows consists of a connecting tear-drop design in green
accented above the center of the window with a decorated
disc and at either corner with green bow-knots. An inter
pretation of this same design has been used in the angle
formed by the arch supporting the choir loft. The colors
here, however, are red and blue. The design around the cen
tral circular window in the facade is formed of a discontin-
26
uous border of an abstract resembling a fleur-de-lis and
another border formed by a continuous "Sf f stem-and-four-
petalled flower motif.
The dado around the mortuary chapel has a discontin
uous border of some sort of plant analogous to a lotus or
water lily in its structure, and similar in feeling to some
of the designs in the ceiling of the stone church at San
Juan Capistrano. The plant is formed of a heavy pod within
which is a circular ornament framed by a large blue-green
petal or leaf. Underneath the arched entry into the mor
tuary chapel is a design using elongated connecting leaves
verging toward a central ornament. This design is similar
to some found over the doorways at Santa Barbara and over
some of the windows at Santa Ines, both of which designs
resemble a laurel wreath. The side of the doorway within
the chapel is decorated with a quarter of a radiating sun
burst design described within the ninety degree angle
formed by the doorway on this side and the round arch of the
aperture leading into the church.
Tabulation of design and decoration at San Luis Rey.
Exterior: church
Arcaded corridor runs along one-storied wing. Honeycombed
brick-work gallery above.
Masonry dome on terraced bell tower with chamfered
corners.
Curved pediment on facade and cemetery wall.
Carvings on facade accented in terra-cotta red.
Round arched doorway framed by engaged columns supporting
entablature.
27
Circular window above entablature of doorway and below
cornice of facade.
Facade divided into three unequal portions ends of two
outer walls of main building are faced with pilasters
which support the cornice of the curved pediment.
Two brackets at foot of niches for statues.
Exterior Mortuary Chapel.
Masonry dome and cupola supported by octagonal building.
Interior Church.
Elliptical arched windows— splayed.
Two double-arched entries of nave.
Construction cruciform with side altars. Four pilasters
on either side of nave walls formed by rounded column
within flat pilaster and resting on heavy bases.
Designs and devices in wall paintings.
Marbleizing.
Serrated leaf and three-petalled flower (continuous).
Lozenge with feelers at top and bottom (discontinuous
border).
Half of a petalled flower within a semicircle.
All over diapered lozenge.
Lozenge and leaf design.
Straight horizontal line broken by alternating concave
and convex semicircles,
Tassels.
Connecting tear-drop.
Bow-knots.
Abstract of lily.
Continuous border of f , S"-stem-and-four-petalled flower.
Colors: Interior Church.
Black, tan, terra-cotta, brilliant blue, brilliant green,
red, blue, green.
Interior mortuary chapel:
Altar in recess— over which brick dome with small lantern.
Engaged-brick columns at corner.
Three-membered cornice crowns each column supporting
arches reaching from column to column.
Designs in wall paintings:
£8
Type of water-lily.
Elongated leaf design.
Sunburst,
Colors:
Terra-cotta,buff, blue green, pale blue, green.
III. SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
Building activities. San Juan Capistrano was first
founded October 30, 1774; but because of Indian uprising in
San Diego it was abandoned until November 1, 1776, when
Father Serra, then president of the missions received per
mission to re-establish this mission.company of new
settlers set to work to make an arbor to serve temporarily
as a chapel. Father Pena said the first Mass in it on
January 12, 1777.^4
Father EngelhardtTs information varies with this a
little, however, as he states that the first chapel was com
pleted before December 19, 1776, as the first baptism was
administered there on that day. Before December 2, 1777,
Engelhardt believes that a permanent church building of
adobe had been erected. He bases this belief upon the fol
lowing information which he has found in the mission records:
"In the first entry, as was already indicated, he uses the
phrase fin the church of this Mission of San Juan Capistrano,’
4-3
Francisco Palou, Historical Memoirs of New Cali
fornia, IV, 151.
44 Ibid., p. 160.
£9
but employed this term only once. Thereafter, the Fathers
omit this circumstance until December £, a year later, when
Fr. Mugartegui enters Baptism number 40 and writes rin the
church of this Mission.f f f 45 Engelhardt also noted that a
close examination of the long building which was used for
divine services until 1806 and again after the earthquake
of 181£ until about 1891, revealed the fact that the entire
building was not erected at the same time. The rear half
was originally lower and the front half was subsequently
added in order to enlarge the building. Engelhardt sug
gested that the approval for the enlarging of the building
may have come from the Fraile Presidente who visited this
mission in October, 1.783. In 1797, the most important
mission building was begun. This was the stone church now
in ruins. Fathers Fuster and Santiago, who were in charge
of the mission at this time, decided that the church should
be built in the form of a cross and that it should be con
structed entirely of stone with the exception of the doors
and windows which would be of wood and the vaulted roof
which would be of concrete. There were to be six domes,
one over the sanctuary, three over the transept, and two
over the nave beyond the transept. A baptistry and tower
were included in the plan. The reports for December 31,
45 Zephyrin Engelhardt, San luan Capistrano, p. 16.
30
1798, mention that work on the stone church was continued
and that a sala or reception room and a recamara or private
room were built of adobe. The roof of this building was
flat. Engelhardt observed in this connection that no other
structure in the whole mission group corresponds to the
description of the sala, as all had gable roofs of timber
covered'with tiles. The fathers wished, however, to secure
a master mason to help in finishing the stone building.
The maestro albanil, who was brought from Culiacan was
Isidro:Aguilar. He arrived in 1799. During this year, be
sides proceeding with the work on the church, one of the
old buildings was unroofed and a new roof was put on of
timbers and then tiled. In 1801, two corridors were erected.
The report states that the pillars and arches were of burnt
brick and masonry, but fails to say to which buildings these
were added. During succeeding years the work was continued
and renovations and additions were made to some of the
adobe structures. On February 21,'1803, Fr. Lasuen wrote
to Mexico that the master mason had died and that work on
the church would be delayed until another mason could be se
cured. In 1804, the fathers report that the church was pro
gressing satisfactorily and that already five domes had been
erected. No mention was made of a new master mason. On
October 18, 1806, Fr. Faura entered the first Baptism after
which followed the information that it was administered in
31
the new church of the mission. JTThe whole is of masonry,
lime, and stone, with vaulted roof of the same material and
with a transept.f t In 1810 a banister or railing of iron
was erected before the main altar, but it is now in front
of the choir loft in Serra's church, which was resumed as a
place of worship after the 1812 earthquakeIn regard to
the earthquake of 1812, fathers Francisco Suner and Jose
Barona reported that the tower fell on the portal and the
concrete roof caved in as far as the transept. ^
Just about this time building activities were ham
pered in all of the missions due to the threat of Mexican
Independence in 1810. Finally, in November, 1834, Juan
Jose Rocha acknowledged the receipt of the decree for the
secularization of the mission, and in July, 1841, San Juan
Capistrano became an Indian pueblo under authority of
Governor Alvarado. In March, 1843, the mission was again
restored to the Franciscans by Governor Micheltorena. On
October 28, 1845, Pio Pico issued a proclamation to auction
various missions and portions of others. Among the latter
was San Juan Capistrano which was sold at public auction on
December 4, 1845. On December 18, 1855, the United States
Land Commission declared the Pio Pico sale to be illegal,
/[ / »
Engelhardt, San Juan Capistrano, pp. 29-49.
^ IbjLd. , p. 54.
38
and the church and other property was restored to the
Catholic Church.48 Services were held in Fr. Serra's church
until 1891, when the roof became unsafe. The former s ala or
reception room was then turned into a chapel.49
An attempt was made by some well-meaning group in the
60Ts to rebuild the stone church in adobe. ”To this end,
gunpowder was used to blow down the remaining shattered
domes, up to the sanctuary which withstood, apparently, even
the gunpowder, leaving the church the utter ruin we find it
today.”50
Since that time the work of the Landmarks Club, or
ganized by Charles Fletcher Lummis, has carried on most of
the repair and restoration work at Capistrano. A lease was
secured on the property in February, 1896. Here the prin
cipal buildings were reroofed, including Serra’s church.
Several breeches in the adobe walls were rebuilt and some
of the walls which were about to fall outward were tied in
with iron rods. The stone pilasters were buttressed and the
debris caused by the destruction mentioned above was cleared
away. ^
48 Engelhardt, San Juan Capistrani , pp. 161-9.
49 Ibid., p. 209.
80 Rexford Newcomb, The Old Mission Churchest p. 160.
Engelhardt, o£. cit., p. 209.
33
Study of architectural design and decoration. Alfred
Robinson, who visited California in 1829, wrote concerning
this mission:
It still bears the appearance of having been one of
the best finished structures of the country, and the
workmanship displayed in the sculpture upon its walls
and its vaulted roof would command admiration in our own
country.52
Mrs. Armitage Forbes, whose book on the missions was
published in 1903, gives us a more detailed description of
San Juan Capistrano at that time. Of the stone church she
says that only the east end was standing and described it as
a masterpiece of architecture.
It is a perfect arch in which was once the altar. In
the niches back of the altar were carved images, two of
which may be seen in the little chapel that is used
today. . . . The room used now as a chapel was formerly
several living rooms. The partitions were removed, the
building repaired and white-washed, a choir loft built
in the west end, a modern stained glass window put in
one of the windows and in fact a new church was placed
within old w a l l s .53
In speaking of other features of the mission buildings
Mrs. Forbes mentioned the unusual chimney which adorned the
kitchen, and concerning the belfry she wrote: "The curious,
plain, long, low bell-tower is a unique feature of the archi
tecture of this mission building."54
^ Alfred Robinson, Life in California Before the Con
quest , p. 47.
53 Mrs. A. S. C. Forbes, California Missions and Land
marks , p. 29.
54 Ibid., p. 31.
34
Bexford Newcomb observed that one of the adobe build
ings at San Juan Capistrano has a curved gable, a feature
noted in several of the missions.55 Newcomb also mentions
that this mission was noted for its stone and brick details,
cut stone pilasters, molds, and niches. Aside from this
Newcomb believed that the only other ornaments which de
served mention were the carved key-stones and tiles from
San Juan Capistrano.56 of the stone work at this mission he
says:
The keystones and ornaments at Capistrano are curious
in their design and bear no resemblance to Christian
symbols elsewhere. There is a story that the master-
mason, imported from Culiacan, was of Aztec descent and
an adherent to the Aztec faith and that he worked into
the church the mystic symbols of his race.57
The plan of this mission was typical, Newcomb wrote
in his volume published in 1925. No two sides are of the
same length. The spans of the sixteen arches on each side
were likewise irregular. The patio had four openings.
Serra’s church along the east of the patio probably was one
of the first buildings. This was used from its completion
in 1777 until September 7, 1806, when the great stone church
5 5 Newcomb, "The Architecture of the Missions of Alta
California," p. 38.
56 Ibid., p. 46.
57 Ibid., p. 47.
35
with its cruciform plan was d e d i c a t e d . The Campanario, he
continued, was about 120 feet high and stood at the south
end of the buildings. The whole church was covered with
seven low domes. That over the sanctuary still stands in
place.
The sacristy was crowned with a low vault which is
still intact. Tradition says that upon the boveda over
the crossing there was originally a cupola made of large,
square tiles. This cupola was conceived and executed,
no doubt, in somewhat the same vein as the ventilating
chimney over the kitchen.59
Concerning the interior of the stone church, Newcomb
wrote that the nave in front of the transept had two bays,
the wall treatment of which consisted of large triple
ringed arches, carried upon squat pilasters, and framing
circular-headed niches.
Transverse arches carried upon piers between the bays
crossed the nave and in turn supported the low domes
forming the roof. The springers of these arches are
still in place so that it is perfectly possible to re
construct the interior of the church.
The boveda dome over the sanctuary is carried upon
fine shallow wall-arches. Two are on either side and
one is on the rear wall over the altar. These five
arches plus the great arch at the front of the sanctu
ary give rise to the six parts of the boveda. The rear
arch encloses nine niches which originally made a back
for the splendid high altar. The windows are high in
the walls, and the two very interesting doors on either
side of the sanctuary have inspired much modern work.60
Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 156.
59 Ibid., p. 163.
60 Ibid.. pp. 163-4.
36
Newcomb believed that the tower was of the two-
terrace type like the ones at San Luis Key, and Santa Bar
bara.
George Wharton James ignores the destroyed stone
tower and states that San Juan Capistrano has a unique cam
panile comprised of a wall joining two buildings and pierced
with four apertures, In speaking of a grey sandstone door
way, James says that the keystone, projecting several inches,
was carved in a conventional eight-pointed floral design,
. . . from which a wide deep fluting extends either side
down the jambs and shows vase-like carving. Above there
is an entablature, the main feature of which is a two-
inch half-rounded fillet terminating in cross lines on
each side. A. heavy cornice crowns the whole.61
(See Illustrations 14 and 15, pages 231-32.) As with some
of the other missions some of the door and window arches were
made square on one side and, owing to the thickness of the
walls, they were recessed and rounded on the other. James
also mentioned the peculiar feature of difference in span of
the arches in several of the missions. James believed there
was no rational explanation for this, but Newcomb believed
that it was due to the possible fact that the padres who
paced off the distances were not accurate, and in order to
make comers meet in a quadrangel this sometimes resulted
in an unusually small or large span. James continued, how
ever, that the rooms, too, were seldom perfect parallelograms
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 324.
37
and the pillars were often irregular. There are two series
of arches at Capistrano which are remarkable according to
James, One of these is the series of six arches superposed
one upon another in perspective.
The one in the foreground is an elliptical arch in
the corridor. Next follows the arch in the wall of the
pteroma (the side of flank) a square bricked doorway.
On the other side of the building is a semicircular arch
over the doorway leading into the patio. Across on the
other side of the court is another illiptical arched
doorway and a square arched gateway.62
The other series which James mentions is that series of
three arches formed by the introduction of an auxiliary
arch where the corners of one of the corridors met (the
northeast corner of the quadrangle). Devices for ornamenta
tion of the corridor arches, James continued, are clearly
presented: ffCorners of thin flat brick tiles are placed
obliquely on top of the wall, then a heavier brick is set
over these, square with the wall beneath.”63
As to wall decorations at the time of JamesT visit
he found on the east side of the quadrangle in the northeast
corner a small room, in one corner of which was a niche with
original decoration of a diaper pattern still remaining in
red and yellow. There were also a few remnants of the mural
distemper paintings in the altar zone of the ruined church.
62 James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 328.
Loc.Acit.
38
The remains of the old stone church still yield a few
interesting designs from which we can imagine that the de
tail work of this b;uilding must have been unusually fine. A
fine blue-grey stone was used for door and window jambs and
the interior cut-stone details (Illustration 3, page 227).
Lanier Bartlett believed that the extensive use of stone
ornamentation at Capistrano was due to the presence of a
considerable group of natives from Santa Cataline and San
Clemente Islands said to have been induced to join this
mainland mission.^ The carved details and ornaments at the
stone church are numerous but there would probably be even ‘
a greater yield of designs had not so much of the old church
been destroyed. Aside from the general architectural treat
ment of the church with a criciform plan and domed ceiling, .
which is decorative in itself there are several other orna
mental details which should be mentioned. Charles Fletcher
Lummis observed that the floor of the stone church Mwas a
beautiful mosaic of diamond-shaped tiles.
From the existing ruin (Illustration 3, page 227) can
be seen an apparent division of the wail of the nave into
round-arched bays in the transept and sanctuary and into
elliptical ones in the nave. The dividing columns, though
64
Lanier Bartlett, J,Carved Ornamentation of the Cali
fornia Mission Period, n (not paged).
65
Charles Fletcher Lummis, The Spanish Pioneers and
the California Missions, p. 310.
39
classic in feeling are devoid of any classic detail. De
vices used to relieve the columns and pedestals are moldings
and chanelling, the latter device being quite prevalent in
mission design. In the case of the Capistrano stone church,
one large channel has been run down the center of the
pilaster. The elliptical bays of the nave have been set
back twice leaving three arches one within the other. An
existing window left in one of the transept arms is rectangu
lar on either side of the thick walls and splayed wide
toward the inside.
Illustration 4, page 227, shows an interesting door
way, one of two similar doorways opening from the sanctuary.66
The doorway is round-arched and has two pilasters supporting
the arch which rests on a molded base. As decoration,-
channeled pieces of stone have been superimposed on a flat
molding which follows the lines of the pilaster and the arch.
The channeling on the arch is interrupted by the keystone
which has been decorated with a rounded abstract motif.
Above the doorway is a heavy cornice composed of carved and
set-back moldings.
The remaining carved ornamentation of the church was
painted and consists of a stone ceiling ornament, and some
painted and carved keystones. At the crown of the sanctuary
R A
Index of American Design, Southern California
No. A R 43a.
40
vault of the great church is an interesting carved and
painted rosette (Illustration 7, page 228), compared by Mrs.
Fremont Older to the-rosette on the baptismal font, rescued
from the ruins of the same church. This is believed to have
been the design of Isidro Aguilar, already mentioned as the
master mason sent to this mission from Culiacan. It has
been carved from . sand-stone and painted in shades of green,
blue, purple, and salmon.6^ The colors used in this build
ing are delightfully soft and soothing in comparison with
the colors used in many of the mission wall paintings. The
rosette, framed on a blue ground surrounded by a salmon
border, has been carved back and painted purple, leaving
lines reserved in salmon. Around the square are four green
scallops caught at the corners and in the center of each
side by a purple triangular piece.
The keystones are similar in feeling and likewise be
lieved to have been designed by Isidro Aguilar. One of these
has been carved back in a series of palm-like leaves project
ing outward from a central stem and divided by two lozenges.
The background of the stone has been painted green (Illustra
tion 6, page 228 } . Another keystone of similar design may
67 Index of American Design, Southern California
No. C A 91.
68 Ibid.. C A 34.
41
be found on the sanctuary arch of the ruined stone church.
Again the palm-leaf and lozenge motifs are reserved in
natural sandstone on a green ground.^ Another keystone
over the doorway leading into the sanctuary of the stone
church from the little garden framed by the bell-wall, the
walls of the monastery, and the old stone church, shows a
variation in the use of leaves. This design points down
ward, giving very much the effect of a basket of leaves up
side down.
The remainder of the painting on the church has been
done on the flat walls (Illustration 5, page 228). On the
dome over the altar is an interesting design which looks
almost as though it was supposed to represent a pineapple.
Resting upon a circle and looking very much like arabesques
are profiles of crossed leaves which form a base for a
tulip-like plant. The center petal of this plant is topped
by two or more crossed leaves similar to the ones just men
tioned which in turn form a base for an elongated figure
which is cross-hatched and studded and topped by a small
green ball. The rest of the design is a pale watery green
outlined in brown and yellow. These colors, as with the
others in the stone church, are subdued in hue. Another de
sign above the altar space again reminds one of the designs
69 Index of American Design, Southern California No.
C A 80.
42
to be seen in mosques and churches in the Near East. The
leaf of this is partly profile and partly full front and rests
on a green ball. Another of these ceiling designs is formed
of a yellow ball surmounted by what looks like it might re
present a double pineapple— one atop the other. The leaves
of this design have a little more body.than those of the
other two designs mentioned and there is the addition of a
conventionalized flower on either side of the topmost "pine
apple.” Above these forms is a large leafy ornament in pale
green outlined in brown and yellow. The colors used in the
rest of the design are similar to those already mentioned,
the lower "pineapple” being cross-hatched in green and
studded with brown and the upper being cross-hatched in
brovm and studded in green.
A painted keystone on the arch over the sanctuary is
similar in design and color to the carved ones already men
tioned. This is a series of leaves branching outward like
the leaves of a.palm tree. At the top is one finial to con
clude the design# The distemper painting is in green and a
subdued red on sandstone.^ Similar in color and design are
the keystones painted on the arches over duplicate small
70
Index of American Design, Southern California.
Mscl. 66a.
71 Ibid., 181a.
43
windows of the sanctuary. Again the medium is distemper
painted on sandstone; the colors are green and brown, and
the design is a series of leafy ornaments.72 Another design
painted on the side arch of the sanctuary is akin to the
arabesque-like leaf already mentioned.7^
Concerning the color of these wall paintings, Warren
W. Lemmon says: ”Six remaining original decorations are in
situ around what remains of the ruin of the great stone dome
and in its keystone. These are pigmented with a cuprous
oxide, giving a greenish blue to their odd shapes.”7^
Serra* s church. Serrafs church is characterized by
the inevitable adobe, plastered and gaudily painted, the
square tiled floor, the wooden beamed ceiling, the thick
walls, through which rectangular windows have been cut.
This room, a part of one of the long buildings which origin
ally enclosed the mission quadrangle, is entered by a vesti
bule whose decoration is in keeping with that of the church.
.Concerning the wall paintings of this church, Warren, W.
Lemmon has said that ”most of the wall motifs are apparently
authentic but questionable in color.” According to Index
i
72 Index of American Design, Southern California.
Mscl. 180.
73 Ibid., Mscl. 182.
7^ Lemmon, ”The Study of Early American Wall Painting
in Southern California,” p. 10.
44
research workers it is possible that the church was re
decorated in 1812 or 1813,
Illustration 11, page 230, is a reproduction of a
restoration drawing made by Index of American Design artists
and shows some of the designs on the interior of Serra’s
church. The paintings are distemper and the font is com
posed of handcarved sandstone and plaster.75 The designer
of the paintings is undetermined; and as with other cases
of this sort, it is assumed that the work was done by the
Indian neophytes under padre supervision. The dado is pom-
peian in effect, being painted mostly in black with a
scalloped border of red over. this. Long garlands of yellow
and red flowers, possibly representing the California poppies,
hang from the under side of each scallop which is in turn
accented by a rosette of yellow, green, and black. Above
this is a border which, from appearances represents either a
cactus or wave ornament, painted in yellow with green tips
and radiating lines which might suggest the spines of a
cactus. This is painted against a blue ground and perhaps
is supposed to represent either a desert horizon or a sea
scape, or may more possibly be pure design with no inherent
meaning. Above this is a ’wave* motif in yellow and red.
The holy water font is accented by a step and stair pyra-
75
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 44a.
mi&al design capped by a yellow and red crucifix, possibly
a type of calvary cross.
The ceiling beams reveal similar designs and. colors.
The first beam is yellow outlined in red. A running green
vine with red flowers is accented by a red and white rosette
The side of the beam is green with a red scallop-like design
modified by diamond lozenges and a flame motif. Another
beam echoes the lozenge and flame motif in y e l l o w and red on
a green ground. The side of this beam is yellow outlined in
red with a green vine and rosette treatment. The corbel is
painted in a red and green water-lily bud design on a yellow
ground.
Along the center of the ceiling between every other
beam is an interesting rosette. The colors are red, yellow,
and blue; and the ornament, if appearances may be sited as
a judge, was drawn with the aid of compass and ruler. The
diameter of each design is approximately four feet.?6
The sanctuary wall of the Serra church (Illustration
10, page 230) varies a little in treatment from the walls of
the nave already mentioned in connection with the holy water
font. Garlands of poppies in red and blue, red and green,
and red and yellow are conspicuous motifs. Green vines with
yellow and red buds and rosettes of various types catch the
garlands. The border in this section is composed first of a
?6 Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 45b.
46
series of white and green zig-zags, and secondly, a series
of concentric squares in yellow, red, green, and terra cotta,
on a pale blue ground. Thirdly is a series of red and white
zig-zags and above the border is a row of alternating ”pine-
applet f motifs and star-like flowers, the colors of which are
red, yellow, and green.
The wall paintings on the entrance hall to the Serra
church (Illustration 8, page 229 ) are apparently of similar
if not identical inspiration to the ones on the interior.
Again the medium is distemper paint on plaster. The designs
are probably of the same period as the ones inside the
church with the exception of the Seal of the Bishop of Los
Angeles Diocese painted over one of the archways. This
decoration is modern.
The dado around this hall is black and has borders of
a zig-zag and a fret in red and yellow. The red wall paint
ing around the doorways has been outlined in a serpentine
line, accented by scrolled and serrated leaves and geometric
flowers. At the base- of the arch is a series of slabs
growing progressively smaller in size and decorated with a
green zig-zag. The lozenge-shaped motif between the leaves
is outlined in brown and the points have been continued into
scrolls or feelers where they are separated by a yellow
disc.7,7 The running design just below the ceiling is composed
* 7 * 7
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 43a.
47
of a zig-zag of red accented by lozenges with feelers simi
lar to a motif discussed at San Luis Rey. This is relieved
by an occasional lozenge bearing a geometric rosette. Be
tween the ceiling beams are alternating decorated panels.
The one is composed of a running vine in cream accented by
a yellow 1 poppy’ on a red ground and the other is a series
of lozenges decorated with a cross and serpentine border
painted in red, blue, black, and buff.
The carving in the Serra church consists of the holy
water font already mentioned, the ceiling beams and corbels,
the simple moldings at the capital of the two pilasters
separating the sanctuary from the nave, and the door and
window openings. Also worthy of mention are the hand turned
spindles in the grille and the wrought iron rail along the
choir loft which was brought from the stone church.
Designs and decorations to be found in the other
buildings at Capistrano. The mission buildings at Capis
trano were built around a quadrangel and some of the build
ings were extended to form a plaza on one side. All of the
buildings were of adobe and were eventually roofed and
floored with tile. Arcaded corridors run along the exterior
walls, and as already mentioned the arches were not always
round due, it is believed, to inexpert placing of pilasters.
The doors were of paneled wood and the doorways and windows
48
were in most cases square-headed and grilled (Illustration
14, page 231 ) .
One of the most unusual features of Capistrano, al
though already mentioned, is the chimney on the roof of the
pozolera or kitchen of the mission house. This was made of
unglazed, burned, flat tiles, and burned, flat bricks. It
rests on a base of sandstone, now deteriorated along the
edges. The Franciscan friars credited with designing and
supervising building plans at the mission during the period
when this feature was probably constructed, were Vicente
Fuster, lose Faura, and Juan Norberto de Santiago. However,
Isidro Aguilar, who is believed to be responsible for much
of the design of the stone church, may have had a hand in
this decorative piece.
The carved keystones used over some of the doorways
at the mission are of exceptional beauty and finish and this
might lead one to believe that the master, Aguilar, again
showed his hand here. One design in particular, which may
be seen over the doorway in the former soldiers’ quarters,
is believed by Index research workers to have been taken
directly from the ruins of the stone church and incorporated
in the walls of the earlier adobe buildings. Mission
records establish that this structure was erected in 1796.
78
Index of American Design. Southern California.
A R 44a.
49
This was prior to the recorded arrival of Aguilar and thus
the assumption that the design may have been salvaged from
the stone church after the 1812 earthquake and placed in
the wall,79 The design, too, is similar to some of those
used in keystones in the stone church. It is cut back suc
cessively so that the bottom layer forms a design of a palm
like branch on either side. The whole is capped with a
diamond-shaped finial.
Another doorway, slightly arched, is surrounded by
narrow burned bricks. The keystone of this doorway uses a
design seen several times at this mission, namely, a star-
)
like flower carved from a circular disk (Illustration 16>,
page 232). The double door is composed of six panels on
either side of a central molding. (Illustration 13, page 231).
Another form of the star-like flower which may be
seen over one of the monastery entrances shows the design
worked onto a rectangular plaque. The molding around this
door is chanelled, a device seen in the stone church
(Illustration 15, page 232).
The narrow bands supporting a heavy carved molding
over the doorway in Illustration 12, page 231, gives another
peculiarly oriental if not Polynesian touch to the decora
tions of this mission. The wooden paneled door has been
Index of American Design. Southern California.
C A 85.
50
divided into four nearly square panels on either side.
One door, leading off the small court between the
stone church and the monastery displays the serpentine de
sign seen in other paneled doors of the mission buildings.
The door opposite, leading into the stone church, combines
function and design. The wooden pegs of this door are
diamond-shaped.
The bell-wall at Capistrano may be considered a design
feature in itself. It was built between the old church and
the adobe building and has four apertures for the bells.
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Stone church:
Vaulted roof (seven domes).
Campanario 120T high (believed to be a two-terraced
tower) ♦
Cupola upon boveda over crossing made of large, square
tiles (according to tradition).
Nave two bays in front of transept— elliptical arched.
Boveda of sanctuary carried on five shallow arches.
Rear arch of sanctuary enclosed nine niches.
Floor-diamond-shaped tiles.
Channelling of pilasters.
Elliptical arches of - bay tiered.
Rectangular splayed window.
Round-arched doorway.
Arch resting on projection to look like capital of
pilaster.
Pilasters framing doorway.
Abstract motif on keystone.
Carved and painted ceiling rosette.
Palm or other blade-like leaf.
Diamond or lozenge.
Painted abstract "pineapple.”
Arabesque-like leaves.
Stylized flower motifs.
Colors all subdued— green, blue, purple, salmon, tan,
yellow, red.
51
Stone— sandstone, yellow for main building and blue for
decorative details.
Serra's church:
Part of a quadrangel building.
Thick adobe walls.
Square tiled floor.
Wooden beamed ceiling.
Dado around wall.
Scallops.
Hanging garlands.
*Poppy.w
Rosettes.
Wave or cactus-like abstract.
Pyramidal design.
Vine motif accented with flowers.
Lozange.
Flame.
Water-lily bud.
Zig-zag.
"Pineapple” (differs from that of stone church both in
conception and execution).
Star-like flowers.
Seall of bishop of Los Angeles Diocese.
Franciscan seal.
Serpentine outline.
Scrolled and serrated leaf.
Geometric flower.
Lozenge with feelers.
Lozenge with rosette superimposed.
Concentric squares and lozenges.
Carved holy water font.
Carved corbels.
Moldings on capitals of pilasters.
Hand-turned spindles in grille.
Wrought iron rail along choir loft (formerly in stone
church).
Other mission buildings
Adobe buildings roofed and floored with tiles,■
Wooden doors and shutters.
Iron v/indow grilles (when window grilles used) .
Arcaded corridors.
Prevalence of square-headed doorways and windows.
Tile and burned brick chimney of pozolera.
Curved gable or pediment at gable end of building.
Arch spans differ.
52
Some window arches are square on one side and recessed
and rounded on the other*
Series of 6 arches in perspective*
Auxiliary arch crosses northeast corner of interior
corridor*
Corners of thin flat brick project beneath corridor
eaves *
Bell-wall' between stone church and adobe building— has
four apertures for bells*
Diaper pattern in niche in small northeast room red and
yellow.
Palm or blade-like leaf and lozenge.
Slightly arched doorway of narrow burned bricks.
Star-shaped flower on circular disk.
Star-shaped flower on rectangular plate.
Chanelling on pilasters and around doorway.
Stream of life or serpentine design on door.
Diamond-shaped wooden pegs on door.
IV. SAN GABRIEL
History and building activities. San Gabriel was
founded on September 8, 1771. Its first frailes were Angel
Somera and Pedro Benito Combon, and its first buildings were
constructed of poles and covered with tules. With the year
1784, annual reports begin. A report of March 11, 1795,
written by Fr. Lasuen, states that San Gabriel was building
a new church of stone and mortar, and had raised it to half
- its intended height. "The first stone was therefore laid
about 1790 or 1791." February 6, 1797, Lasuen reported to
the college that the church was still under construction;
and on February 20, 1799, his report stated that the church
had been partly roofed. February 25, 1801, brought the
Engelhardt, San Gabriel Mission, p. 71.
53
report that the vaulted roof of the church had been com
pleted, but the ceiling had already started to crack. In
February, 1803, Lasuen wrote that the church had been
whitewashed and the cracks repaired. Two years later, in
February, 1805, Fr. Estevan Tapis finally reported that the
church had been blessed and holy Sacrifice of the Mass was
celebrated. An earthquake brought new cracks and Tapis
wrote:
For this reason in the judgment of an intelligent
mason, they will have to take it down and substitute
in its place for security’s sake a roof of timber and
tiles. This will be done under the direction of said
mason, when the floods have passed away.81
From December, 1804, buildings activities were re
ported annually instead of biennually as they had been be
fore. The 1804 report stated that all structures of this
year were roofed with pine timbers and covered with tiles.
The buildings also had tiled corridors with pillars of
brick and mortar. In 1808, the vaulted roof of the church
was finally taken down because it threatened to collapse.
It was replaced by a flat roof of brick and mortar. In
1812, Fathers Miguel and Zalvidea report that everything ex
isted as before, but that many images had been broken due to
the earthquake. The church was damaged
. . . badly enough, and in the tower it made many cracks,
so that finally the top of it, with velveta or weather-
Engelhardt, San Gabriel Mission, p. 73.
54
cook fell down; made a crack also in the vestry, damag
ing the habitation of the Fathers and the work rooms of
the Mission to such an extent that they threaten to
collapse.8S
Engelhardt believed that it was probably in 1822 that the
church and the priest’s dwelling were completed. But since
the reports for 1822-24 were lost, there is no direct record
of completion.88 The following years brought political un
rest here as at all the missions, but the mission period of
San Gabriel may be said to have terminated with the departure
in August, 1852, of Fathers lose Joaquin Jimeno and Francisco
Sanchez, the last Franciscans in charge.
The first attempts at restoration made in the post
mission period were by Father Bot in 1886. In this year a
nqmber of needed repairs were made; the windows were en
larged, and a new ceiling was put in.84
Study of architectural design and decorations. An
early picture published in a volume on California history
shows the small lancet windows which were in the church be
fore the 1886 "restoration.” The church.is entered through
a round-arched doorway into what may have been the domed*.
82 Engelhardt, San Gabriel Mission, p. 93.
83 Ibid.. p. 136.
84 Ibid., p. 312.
55
sacristy. The dome or vault, however, in this representa
tion is pitched in the opposite direction from that over the
sacristy at present. And the portion taken up hy this sec
tion of the building in the picture is now occupied by the
pierced bell-wall.85
Mrs. Forbes, in 1903, made the following observa
tions. San Gabriel Archangel, she states,
. . . has an individual architecture that is pleasing.
. . . The ten heavy buttresses that adorn the exterior
give a massive and substantial appearance to the struc
ture; while the charming bell tower with six open arches,
lends grace and beauty X Illustration 20, page 234]. The
entire church building is of stone. . . . The ceiling
has in recent years been panelled in oak. . .
In comparing this mission with Santa Tnes, Mrs. Forbes finds
that the arrangement of bells is similar.
In 1909, Reverend Eugene Sugranes made an extensive
historical study of the Old San Gabriel Mission. He noted
the gable end of the main front with a strong "leaning sup
port or buttress on either side (Illustration 18, page 233).
On the inside, there remain of the original edifice the
very strong pilasters or square columns after the tos-
can style, which indicate that the original roof was an
arched one. . . . To correspond with the interior
columns there are buttresses on the outside that are
crowned with pretty merlons which give to the whole
building a fantastic appearance and the air of a fort-
Alfred Robinson, Life in California Before the
Conquest (opposite p. 50}.
Mrs. A. S. C. Forbes, California Missions and
Landmarks, p. 33.
56
ress (Illustration 2 1 page 234).
As to the Moorish influence claimed by some to be
prominent in this church, Sugranes says that perhaps the
missionaries
. . . desired to breathe some air of their fatherland
and thus imprinted upon the keystone of the main en
trance the star symbol of Mary [Illustration 19, page
233] or in the highest point of the exterior buttresses
they imitated the merlons of the battlements of the
muzarabic monuments.
The baptistry, Sugranes wrote, had a cupola or dome called
media naranja, and he continued, is the best preserved of all
the buildings. The only decoration was the simple cornice
017
which divided the arch from the walls. Sugranes also men
tioned the primitive and well made doors of the Mission
church, artistically finished with large copper nails. Rex-
ford Newcomb believed that due to the broad span of the
original vaulted ceiling at this mission the walls were
doomed to crack. Newcomb also wrote that the pitch of the
second roof at San G-abriel may be seen in the pediment at the
west end (Illustration 18, page 233).
Of the interior, Newcomb mentioned the choir "carried
upon the ancient heavy corbelled beams, still remaining in
place." It was supported by a great marbleized wooden arch
spanning the nave and "carried upon heavy square piers at the
87
Rev. Eugene Sugranes, The Old San G-abriel Mission,
p. 90.
57
walls. The choir is still reached by the ancient exterior
stair. tt88
George Wharton James1 observations of the mission
correspond with several others, but he has taken a keen de
light in the description of the pierced belfrey.
This consists of a solid wall, pierced at irregular
intervals with arches built to correspond to the size of
the bells which were to be hung within. On the left,
the wall is stepped back irregularly up to the centre
bell aperture, each capped with a simple projecting
molded cornice, as at Santa Barbara. 9
He also noted that the projecting ledges of the pyramids or
merlons atop the exterior buttresses are divided into three
unequal portions.
In some of these butresses are niches, embellished
with pilasters which support a complete entablature.
[Illustration 22, page 235]. At the base of these
niches is a projecting sill. On the concave surfaces
of these niches and the entablatures it is possible that
the architects designed to have distemper paintings as
such decoration is found on both exterior and interior
walls, although sometimes it has been covered by white-
washers. In several of the missions, the spandrels of
the arches show evidence of having been decorated with
paintings fragments of which still r e m a i n . 9 ^
A pair of old doorways of this mission, which are of
particular interest because of their design, are the original
oo
00 Sugranes, Old San Gabriel Mission, p. 185.
James, .In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 329.
90 Ibid., p. 313.
58
"Needle’s eye" doors, which were formerly in the main en
trance of the mission. These doors are of native pine, with
a natural finish and are hinged on bronze pivots. Both the
large doors and the small doors are locked with one lock.
The doors are constructed of three long vertical planks of
wood. The two planks closest to the center in each half of
the door have been cut through to form another door with a
Moorish pointed arch.
The sacristy doors of Tabasco mahogany from Santo
Domingo are composed of three long flat panels surrounded, by
a plain border. Each panel has three oblong plaques within
it with the corners carved off concavely, a device used at
San Miguel and San Luis Obispo (Illustration 52, page 251,
and Illustration 53, page 252).
The design used on the capital in Illustration 23,
page 236, is of interest because of its Byzantine coloristic
effect. The design itself seems to be a basket shape with
a central floral motif resembling a honeysuckle. Conical
drops hanging from the basket fill out the square,.which
forms the field for the design.
Tabulation of design and decoration at San Gabriel.
Exterior:
Vaulted roof (removed 1808 replaced by pitched tile roof,
now shingled roof).
Small lancet windows (enlarged 1886).
Heavy buttresses with decorative pyramidal caps.
Gable end of main front with flanking buttresses contain
ing round-arched niches.
59
Round-arched doorways— arch resting on projecting sill
or base to resemble top of capital.
Symbol of Mary (six-pointed star) imprinted on keystone.
Bell-wall pierced with round-arched apertures and
decorated with projecting moldings and curved and
stepped pediment.
Shell-arched niche containing statue and framed by
pilasters supporting simple entablature, resting on
sill with supporting corbel.
Interior:
Interior pilasters in tuscan style.
Sacristy undecorated except for cornice.
Choir carried on corbelled beams supported by arch on
heavy piers.
Marbleizing.
Needle * s eye doors— round-arched with smaller doors hav
ing pointed arch.
Plaque with concavely rounded corners as motif for door
panels.
Coloristic effect in carved capital honeysuckle and
conical drops.
Y. SAN FERNANDO
Building history. The Mission San Fernando Rey was
founded September 8, 1797. Engelhardt assumes that the first
church was blessed in November of the same year.91 In 1799,
the first church edifice proved too small and a new one was
erected. The fathers built themselves a more substantial
dwelling, which Engelhardt believed was the building which
formed the front wing next to the church and doubtless in
cluded the reception rooms.9S In 1804, preparations were
91 Engelhardt, San Fernando Rey. p. 14.
92 Ibid., p. 15.
60
made for a new church. By the end of 1806, the new struc
ture had been completed and dedicated. The report for Decem
ber 31, 1810', stated that a new house had been built for the
padres. This, Engelhardt believed, was the building referred
to today as the mission house. In 1813, a corridor yras
added to this building. The following yearly reports show
that this long building which measured fifty feet by 243
feet with its nineteen arches was under construction for
thirteen years. In 1819, it was noted that the greater part
of the "Father’s House" was rearranged and renovated. Fr.
Ulibarri and Fr. Ibarra reported in 1820 that a flight of
stairs was added. The 1821 report stated that the house had
been raised and roofed, and in 1822, Ibarra wrote that work
on the Father’s House had been concluded.9^
San Fernando as well as the other missions suffered
from the Mexican Independence in 1810 and from subsequent
political maneuvering. After 1811 nothing could be procured
from Mexico.
Rexford Newcomb believed that the present church
building dates from 1 8 1 8 . The Landmarks Club took up the
restoration of the mission in 1895. The mission house was
repaired and the church was roofed. In recent years the
Q'Z
Engelhardt, San Fernando Rey, pp. 21-24.
Rexford Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 200.
61
Oblate Superior of San Fernando has tried to keep the build
ings in repair* In 1927, a new roof was put on the church.
In 1937, further repairs were carried on under Father John
Collins. A tile roof supported by a steel cradle was in
stalled. At present restoration work is being carried on at
this mission.
Study of architectural design and decoration. Lt.
R. L. Williamson, who visited the mission in 1853, described
the exterior design:
The building presents an imposing appearance, having
a long portico formed by a colonnade, with twenty
arches, built of brick, or adobe, and plastered and
whitewashed. The floor is paved with tiles, and pleasant
promenade in front of the edifice is thus afforded.96
In 1888, Ford noted the small arch for a bell at the west end
of the corridor of the mission house, as well as the large
flanking buttresses on the facade of the church building
which, he added, had a simple facade and some sort of flank
ing two-storied structure with arched windows which
"probably contained the bells.He also mentioned the
baptistry with its low entrance and arched ceiling. The last
inventory, taken in 1849, stated that the church had an
adobe belfry with three bells, and a choir loft with railing
Fngelhardt, San Fernando Rey, p. 134.
96 Ibid., p. 121.
97 Ibid.. p. 124.
62
of painted wood.98 Mrs. Armitage Forbes mentioned the huge
square beams with their crude carvings on the church inter
ior and also the bell-arch at the west end of the mission
house, formerly mentioned by Ford." Rexford Newcomb added
that the mission had windows over doors, iron grille work,
and stone and brick details.1°°
In a later volume Newcomb wrote that the church had
pilasters which divided the interior walls into panels, two
doors opposite one another in the nave walls, and the
traces of wall painting still visible.His visit to San
Fernando Rey was probably before the presentation of his
thesis in 1915. Newcomb further described the interior as
having ceiling beams, carried upon great corbels'? (Illustra
tion 27, page 238). These we re treated with "whitewash and
color and thus the interior, with its frescoed walls, its
Stations of the Cross, and its Spanish altar-hangings, made
a glorious, if barbaric, spectacle.”
The main portal of the mission-house [Illustration 25,
page 237] with its curious hand-carved door with moulded,
serpentine grooves, though not elaborate in detail, is
- • 98 Engelhardt, San Fernando Rey, p. 144.
99 Mrs. A. S. C. Forbes, California Missions and Land
marks , p. 43.
Newcomb, "The Architecture of the Missions of Alta,
California,” p. 38.
101 Ibid... p. 203.
63
exceedingly interesting. This opening is not of the
semicircular type, almost invariably used, but has an
elliptical arch defined by a simply moulded frame, sup
ported by flanking pilasters, each of w h i c h is enhanced
by a central flute and a heavily moulded impost. Above
the door is a shell-headed niche, which originally con
tained some statue.^-02
Newcomb also mentioned the wrought iron grilles at
the windows and made the interesting statement concerning
them that "they are without doubt the most ornate grilles to
be found among the missions and compare favorably with the
delightful iron cross upon the belfry at San Gabriel. n
The thickness of the walls, lames notes,
. . . allows the working out of various styles in these
outer and inner arches. . . . They reveal the individu
ality of the builder, and as they are all structural
and pleasing they afford a wonderful example of variety
in adapting the arch to its necessary functions#103
Concerning the interior (Illustration 27, page 238 )}
James described the walls of the nave as being divided into
four sets of pilasters on each side. In each of these was
set a sunk-in arch. Upon each pilaster rests a corbel.
Additional corbels are placed between the pilasters, and on
these the roof-beams rested. Nine square recesses were to
be seen on either side. A few of these were pierced through
and used as windows. Over the sacristy entrance James noted
an arch which was shell-like inside. Over the main entrance
102 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, pp. 203-204.
i
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 249.
64
to the choir loft was a rounded arch splayed into a flat
arch. The doorway leading to the graveyard had a half circle
inside, and sloped outward, where the arch was square. The
double door frame, projected somewhat like a pilaster, had a
four-membered cornice above, from which rose an elliptical
arch with an elliptical cornice about a foot above.104
The doors and doorways at this mission were found of
interest to the writer because of their variety of design.
As with the other missions all the doors are made of wood
and no two are exactly alike. The first doorway on the west
end of the facade of the long building leads into the govern
or’s room and has a rounded archway with a molding projecting
at what would be the base of the arch to give the appearance
of a capital. This device is used frequently in mission de
sign and sometimes a column is painted on the flat wall to
carry out the feeling of a pilaster and capital supporting
an archway. The door itself is of wood and paneled in such
a way that it is divided into an upper and lower square with
a simple molding all around. Each panel is composed of
three separate pieces of wood but these are joined together
so as to give the effect of mereJLy two large panels. The
next doorway to the east is similar to the one mentioned
above, but the door is composed of three vertical panels
104 James, In and Out of the Old Missions» p. 251.
65
decorated with simple moldings. The central panel is
slightly narrower than the other two. The next doorway to
the east is - again similar to the two mentioned; but the door
is slightly different in design, for although it is com
posed of the three equidistant vertical panels, the space
between these has been hollowed out, leaving a narrow
chanel in each case. The next doorway is similar to the
one mentioned immediately above; however, this time instead
of three long panels on the door there are only two and the
central space is thereby made lower. The main entrance has
double doors which use the serpentine or stream of life de
sign. Another doorway, which has a new treatment of panels,
leads from an old porch which projected from the second
story of the rear of the mission house before it was taken
down. The panelling of this door is a little more elaborate
than is usually seen in the missions. It is possible that
professional labor might account for this. The exterior of
the main doorway is a simple rounded arch, but as lames has
already observed, the thick walls allow for a different
type of opening on either side of the wall, and so in the
case of the main doorway it is found that the interior door
is moslem in character, being a scalloped or shell-like arch.
Other doorways of the mission house which lead from room to
room on the interior are either rounded or have a flat
wooden lintel above. The doors are of pine as are those on
66
the exterior of the mission house and are similar in design,
although usually more simple.
Windows, shutters, grilles. The windows of the mis
sion house used the rounded arch on the exterior and the
pointed moslem arch on the interior. The shutters reveal
the same workmanship as do the doors and are in keeping with
the designs used on the doors. Each half of a shutter has a
flat molding with mitred corners around the central panels.
A shutter examined on the facade of the mission house had
two long panels which had been channelled between.
It is for the iron grille work, however, that this
mission is mostly famed (Illustration 86, page 237). These
iron grilles are to be found on the facade of the mission
house and no two are exactly alike, although they all speak
of the same workmanship and are similar in decoration. The
grilles in every case are composed of an odd number of
vertical iron bars, either seven, nine, thirteen, or fif
teen. The vertical bars are held in place by two, three, or
four horizontal bars which curve outward toward the center.
The decoration used on the bars is symmetrically placed iron
"scrolls on either side of the vertical bars.” From old
photographs it was also discovered by the Index of American
Design workers that the grilles probably at one time had
center decorations on the top bar of each grille.
67
The wall paintings which are now in the process of
being restored are at the time the most interesting feature
at San Fernando. In a monograph, Warren W. Lemmon, former
director of the federal art project in Southern California,
wrote that these paintings
. . . recall the very origin of decorative art in this
. region. Indian neophytes under the direction of the
mission padres, developed unusual skill in solving their
problems. They were quick to recognize the needs of a
larger palette and provided a binder and vehicle from
native plants and animals for their paints.105
Mr. Lemmon also wrote about the discovery of the
wall paintings at San Fernando. In 1936, a fiesta was held
at the mission and parts of plaster fell down at this time,
revealing bits of wall decoration. When reconstruction
drawings were made by Index of American Design artists, it
was found that in some cases one design had been painted
over another. The problem, however, was worked out with
considerable success.106
Index research workers have not as yet found records
that would make the dating of these various wall paintings
p o s s i b l e . -'-O? Although the building was completed in 1822,
records indicate that reconstruction work was done on the
105 Warren W. Lemmon, "The Study of Early American Wall
Painting in Southern California," p. 2.
106 Ibid., p. 7.
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Ms cl. 88a.
68
building as late as 1829. But after secularization in 1834,
the mission was placed in charge of Lieutenant Antonio del
Valle. It is known that these administrators frequently re
vamped living quarters to suit themselves, and since it was
not usual for the padres to decorate the living quarters,
but only the church, it is believed that the decoration was
done after secularization. The Index research staff also
believed that the decorations were done by Indians at the
mission as were the decorations on the churches. In the
case of conventional forms and architectural designs it is
assumed that white men were responsible for the d esigns .108
Probably one of the most interesting of the exterior
wall paintings is that around the main entrance way in the
center of the mission house facade (Illustration 25, page
237) .
Native flowers in piles flank a niche of shell design.
A painted shell over the niche accents its origin. Under
this decoration is a modeled low archway, supported on
double pilasters, with horizontal beads for capitals.
Rustication is indicated by the painting of the arch,
suggesting stones. The archway of the loggia which
supports the sheltering tiled roof of the mission house
was decorated by the painting of artificial tiles on
alternate arches. Centered on the entrance doors the
first impression one receives is that of red and white
alternate stones, which on closer inspection sho?/ that
inset flat tiles were meant.
108
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 88a.
Lemmon, "The Study of Barly American Wall Painting
in Southern California,” p. 8.
69
The predominating color of the entire decoration is red and
the horizontal hands making up the capitals of the pilasters
are alternately red and white.
Westerly along the arcade are two more decorations.
Over one doorway is drawn a ball, surmounted by a double
flame. Another of the decorations represents a hunting
scene. This is the only mission design known at the time
in which both animal and human forms are used.1^
Mr. Lemmon’s description tells that the red was the
»
predominating color. On the left of the design is a deer
. . . with an arrow piercing it, and on the right is a
figure of a man covered with a deer’s skin poised to let
fly another, (or the same?) arrow. Below this detail a
flattened arch spans the doorway, embellished by a row
of-red triangles, with points up, terminating in a roll
at each side.
Around the doorway to an undecorated rear room, Mr. Lemmon
continues, are ’ ’flames, marble.izing, and an emblazoned sun.”
The interior wall paintings are equally interesting,
especially the governor’s room, which is now in the process
of restoration with the aid of Index artists, who made work-
ing drawings of the paintings on this wall. The walls of
this room were painted with comparatively elaborate murals,
which were discovered by the flaking away of the heavy coats
of white-wash and plaster. The west wall has been painted
110
Lemmon, ’ ’The Study of Early American Wall Painting
in Southern California, p. 8.
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 88a.
70
in such a way that it is divided into three panels, the cen
tral one containing the door. There are simple superimposed
columns resting on a dado painted in dark blue and dark red.
The walls are lightly marbleized and the columns support
three arches, lust below the narrow red ceiling molding is a
border of poppies in red and blue. The south wall^-2 follows
the same trend of design (Illustration 24, page 237), but
here the arches are pointed to echo the moorish arch of the
central doorway in this wall. The north wallH^ is divided
into three vertical divisions, with the same dado and
border design around the wall just below the ceiling. How
ever, columns have been painted on either side of the door
in this wall, and a pediment arched in~the center has been
painted above. Four ollas containing red, flowers accent the
columns, and a leafy branch design, a simple sunburst, and
red trees resembling the cypress further decorate this wall.
The east wallH4 is similar to the west wall in decoration.
There is, however, no door in this wall.
Around the doorway between the reception room and
refectory is another interesting wall painting. Two pilas
ters at either side support a bush or shrub design .with a
112 Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 40a.
113 index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 86a.
11^ Index of American Design, Southern California.
Mscl. 87a.
71
serrated flower "branching out from the base of each shrub.
The painting above the door pictures four Indians standing
beneath two trees. The other side of this doorway has been
painted in a blue and red design. The rounded archv/ay is
outlined in blue and has a central blue disk above the
alternating red and blue petals. Painted columns resting
on the dado flank either side of the doorway and are decor
ated with a naturalistic.' leaf design and capped with a red
capital.1^5
The old chapel. The old chapel of adobe, which is
now in the process of restoration, is a rectangular building
with three main openings; one at the west end opposite the
altar, and one on each side of the nave opening into the
mission garden on the south and the cemetery on the north.
Buttresses flank either side of the west end. On the north
and south sides of the church are comparatively smaller
projections which might also be called buttresses* There
are five of these on either side.
The walls of the nave on the interior (Illustration
27, page 238) have been divided into five bays by project
ing pilasters on each side. The third bay on each side
contains the north and south entrances already mentioned.
A niche in the form of a lunette is above each of the round-
11 *5
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 39b.
72
arched doors. The bay underneath the choir loft was dis
similar from the other three in that the arch naturally had
a wider span, since it could not rise to its full height.
The other three bays all follow the same pattern of a large
round-arched niche or blind arch with flanking columns
resting on a podium. Simple moldings relieve the top and
bottom of the columns. A series of apparently walled-up
windovirs have been set high in the walls on the north and
south sides of the nave. Six out of ten of these recesses
on the south side have been cut all the way through, while
the nine on the.north side are blank. The twenty-three ceil
ing beams and their corbels are of wood. Lanier Bartlett
has observed that these corbels are similar to those at
Santa Ines. He also believed it possible that woodworkers
were sent to San Fernando, "though the present ruined
church is believed to be a decade older than the existing
edifice of Santa Ines, dedicated in 1817.
Concerning paintings on the old church, Warren W.
Lemmon gives the following information:
Fortunately enough pigment has remained for Index
artists to present a color rendering of the interior
as it was in its days of glory. The decoration of the
church was simple, a salmon color predominating, with
indications of a conservative use of black and a blue
Lanier Bartlett, "Carved Ornamentation of the Cali
fornia Mission Period,” not paged.
73
outlining of suggested stonework around the door
ways .117
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
The mission house:
Arcaded corridor.
Two stories.
Ironed grilled windows on facade.
Stone and brick detail work.
Moldings on doors and shutters.
Little belfry at west end of arcade.
Serpentine or "stream of life” grooving in doors.
Elliptical arch defined by a simply molded frame,
supported by flanking pilasters, each of which is
enhanced by a central flute and a heavily molded
impost (main door).
Shell-headed niche above door (main door).
Shell-like or scalloped archway over interior of main
door.
Elat wooden lintels above some,interior doorways.
Flattened arches over doors.
Projecting molding at base of arch to give appearance
of a capital.
Paneled pine doors and shutters.
Grooving used between panels of some doors and shutters.
Rounded arch splayed into moslem pointed arch on
interior windows.
Circular v/indow in brandy-making room.
Iron scrolls and acr&teria used on window grilles.
Haemetite red used in coloring early wall paintings.
(Cobalt or Prussian) blue used in coloring later wall
paintings.
Yellows and greens .seen in latest paintings.
Motifs used in wall paintings:
Native flowers in olles.
Rustication indicated by painting.
Artificial painted tiles on alternate arches of loggia
which supports sheltering roof.
Lemmon, "Study of Early American Wall Painting in
Southern California,” p. 9.
Ball surmounted b y a double flame.
Hunting scene.
Painted columns and arches (governors room).
Poppy border.
Marbleized walls.
Red and blue dado.
Leafy branch.
Sunburst.
Red trees resembling cypress.
Serrated flower branching out from shrub.
Zig-zag.
Scene showing four Indians standing under two trees.
Conventionalized flower with blue center and alternat
ing red and blue petals.
Columns decorated with naturalistic leaf design.
The church:
Large sloping buttresses at either side of facade of
church.
Domed roof in baptistry.
Small buttresses or pilaster-like projections on ex
terior walls.
Nave divided into round arched bays by pilasters rest
ing on high base.
Lunette niches above north and south doors on interior
Use of rounded arch splayed into a flat arch over the
choir loft and in the north and south doors.
Use of square window over arched doorway— facade.
Salmon color paint predominated plus conservative use
of black and blue outlining of suggested stonework
around doorways.
VT. SAN BUENAVENTURA
Building history. On March 31, 1782, Fr. Lunipero
Serra and Fr. Pedro Gambon, blessed the site for this mis
sion, and a temporary chapel was erected. Zephyrin Engel-
hardt gives documentary evidence for the belief that a
church had been constructed previous to December 28,1782.1
Engelhardt, San Buenaventura, p. 17.
75
The evidence cited by Engelhardt leads to the belief that a
fire destroyed this church some time before December 9,
1791; and between June 21, 1792, and September 1, 1792, the
religious records show that a chapel was in use at this mis
sion. Before October 5, 1792, it is believed a new church
was again erected.This church was probably only a tem
porary structure because the Annual Report of December,
1794, stated that there was still lacking the church f , to
close up the quadrangel of the Mission; but they are work
ing at it continually." On March 11, 1794, Fr. Pres. Lasuen
reported to the government that the church of Mission San
Buenaventura constructed of masonry, was about half finished..
During the next three years, 1795-1798, work continued on
the church. In 1799, the sacristy of the church, constructed
of brick, was finished. The records for 1801 reveal that
work on the new church continued. In 1807, headway was
made on the new church building and in 1808, the records
give the information that the pillars of the baldachin
altar in the Romanesque were finished in imitation marble,
while the decorations on them were gilded. The church was
finished in 1809, and the following year altars were gilded
and the church ceiling was decorated. On January 1, 1813,
Fathers Senan and Vitoria reported that the mission had
* i 1 q
Engelhardt, San Buenaventura, p. 24.
76
suffered exceedingly from three dreadful earthquakes in 1813.
"The tower is no longer serviceable," they continued, "and
we are going to take it down."-1 -2^ While the church was be
ing repaired, a temporary structure was used and by 1814
the church with all new woodwork was ready for use. The
tower was in the process of reconstruction at this date.^-2^
Building activities continued on a large scale during the
succeeding years. Special attention was given to decoration
of the interior of the church.
Fr.-Engelhardt observed that "the decline of Mission
San Buenaventura was very marked and rapid in the third
decade of the nineteenth century." No more building acti
vities were reported until 1832. In 1833, two houses were
constructed for the mayor domos. Although secularization
took place on August 9, 1834, the mission property was not
transferred until June, 1836. On March 29, 1843, Governor
Micheltorena restored the missions to the Franciscans 22
Concerning one of the designers at San Buenaventura,
Fr. Senan in entry number 2,336 on April 17, 1820, wrote
that he gave burial to the body of Maria Isabel, who was
employed for many years in cutting and sewing . . . and
120 Engelhardt, San Buenaventura, p. 30.
121 Ibid., p. 32.
122 Ibid.. , p. 82.
77
made all kinds of vestments and ornaments, with remarkable
Engelhardt attributed most of the renovation of the
interior of the church to the f , boomf t years of 1886-87.
In regard to Father Eubiofs restorations, Engelhardt wrote
. . . lengthened windows, and then, strangely enough
put in very dark glass windows. He also had the
interior decorations, made probably by the early Indian
converts, removed, and covered the walls with modern
stencil work. The church had already been ceiled and
floored by the Reverend Juan Comopla, Father Rubio’s
predecessor. This flooring, except in the main aisle,
still covers the original tile floor which the Fran
ciscans had left in the church. In the aisle the old
floor of Father Comopla has since been removed. This
was composed of sm and
Study of architectural designs and decorations. Mrs.
Forbes, in 1903, described the mission as having a two-
storied belfry, a roof restored with shingles instead of
the original tiles,
But otherwise the exterior is virtually the old
building erected in 1794-1809. The interior is new
and quite handsomely decorated. . , . Stained glass
windov/s, rich altars, and frescoing give a finished
if not rich appearance,123
l
Engelhardt, San Buenaventura» p. 140.
ability for one that was a neophyte.123
that he
burnt tiles about eight inches square.
124 Loci cit.
123 Mrs. A. S. C. Forbes, California Missions and Land
marks, p. 45.
78
Rexford Newcomb mentioned that the church of this
mission had a rectangular facade window and a terraced bell-
tower of masonry.
Jesse S, Hilldrup, in 1924, wrote:
The church is finely decorated and painted outside
and in, but the decorations have so modernized it that
the medieval character of the structure is lost except
in the doorways, confessional, baptistry, and bell
vaults in the tower.
Rexford Newcomb, in his volume published in 1925, has
made some valuable conclusions concerning the design of the
mission church. He believed that the design of the church
was changed after it was begun since a set of moldings,
which ran up to a point, seemed to recall an earlier gable
line.
This smaller composition seems to have been complete
within itself. A window into the choir was provided and
a corbelled niche in the apex of the pediment, while the
two pilasters flanking the doorway seem much more in
telligible as elements of the smaller composition, than
as divisions of the fachada as it now stands.
Newcomb believed that this earlier facade antedated the 1812
earthquake. Concerning the campanario at San Buenaventura,
he added that it was of particular interest because the two
upper stages did not "center” over the lower. The side
door, he believed, with its serpentine decorations was
Newcomb, "The Architecture of the Missions of Alta,
California," pp. 38 and 43.
l P 7
Hilldrup, The Missions of California and the Old
Southwest, p. 56.
79
similar in design to those seen at San Fernando.James
described the exterior as having massive tower and hipped
buttresses, "arched and corniced doorway with simple pil
asters and triangular entablature pierced by a square win
dow aperture and a bracketed niche for a statue."^29 James
also observed that unlike Santa Barbara and San Luis Rey,
the tower at San Buenaventura had no chamfers and had
different corner finials. Pilasters were used at the side
entrance of San Buenaventura. These were perfectly plain.
"The effect of this archway is most interesting, as showing
how the mission fathers brought with them and utilized
memories of the old world.- The arch is Moorish-Gothic,
with renascence motifs in the entablature" (Illustration 28,
page 239) p-3%h.e doorway on the east side of the church has
been decorated with pilasters and cone-shaped brackets. The
Moorish arch *of the doorway rests on double bases and is
framed by pilasters supported by high podiums and capped
with cones ending in large ball finials. A niche above the
doorway is flanked by brackets and rests on a conical corbel.
A cornice line decorates the side wall. These decorations
have been painted a terra-cotta red. In addition a grille
from this mission is double-doored, has simple turned wood
128 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, pp. 211-12.
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 317.
130 Ibid., p. 332.
80
pieces secured by horizontal bars and a frame running along
the top carved in a wave design (Illustration 30, page 239)*131
On the interior the church has lost its character due
to restoration; however, a few of the original decorations
are still available for study* One of these is in the
closet opening from the baptistry of the mission church
(Illustration 29, page 239 ),132 This was done in distemper
paint on plaster, and consists of a rooster, hen, wheat
stalks, roses, and other vegetation, and a sacrificial lamb
in a frame with the seven sacraments symbolized by pendants.
The colors are naturalistic and the border is terra cotta.
Warren W. Lemmon, in his monograph on the wall paintings in
Southern California, made the following statement concerning
those at San Buenaventura:
The interior walls of San Buenaventura Mission on the
other hand, display panel painting of the worst type,
so often seen in the Peloponnesian restaurants of our
country. Fortunately, the dauber has overlooked the
baptistry closet, now boarded up with panels behind
interesting turned wooden grilles. This decoration,now
in a crumbling condition, is of a repeating design in
vertical strips approximately a foot and a half wide
and six feet high. An ingenious composition is formed
of a hen, rooster, wheat stalks, wild California roses,
and an octagonal frame encircling the sacrificial
lamb, the seven sacraments being symbolized by hanging
pendants. This is the only known use of fowls in any
wall painting of this period. . . .133
1 rz -]
Index of American Design. Southern California.
A R 39a.
132 index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 60a.
-*•3^ Lemmon; ”A Study of Early American Wall Paintings
in Southern California,” p. 6.
81
Another wall painting fragmenthad a rose-beige ground
surrounded by a border of yellow with a blue line running
down either side. Running along the outside was a vine de
sign. The leaves were outlined in bluish green and the
stem was of the same color. At the corner was apparently
some sort of transition motif, but only parts of the leaves
were visible.
Tabulation of designs and decoration studied.
Exterior:
Two-storied belfry with a square rather than chamfered
corners.
Unusually heavy buttress.
Round-arched doorway with cornice and triangular en
tablature .
Rectangular facade window.
Corbeled niche in the apex of the pediment.
Pilasters flanking doorway.
Decorative arch side of church.
Pilasters on podiums.
Conical shape used for corbels and caps.
Terra-cotta red used on moldings around side doorway.
Grilled wooden shutter using wave motif on frame.
Interior:
Panel exhibiting rooster, hen, wheat stalks, roses, and
other vegetation; sacrificial lamb and seven sacra
ments symbolized by pendants.
Colors naturalistic with terra-cotta border.
Vine border bluish green on beige.
VII. SANTA BARBARA
Building history. Although there were many prelimin
1 3 4 -
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 31a.
82
aries to the establishment of the Santa Barbara Mission on
its particular site, it was declared formally founded on
December 16, 1786.135 But on account of the rainy season
which starts soon after the first of the year in this sec
tion, the mission buildings could not be erected that year.
In 1787, however, the reports of Pr. Antonio Paterna and Br.
Cristobal Oramas show that a chapel had been built. The
year 1788 marked further building and also the first produc
tion of tiles for roofing were made. In 1789, a new church
of adobe was erected and roofed with tiles. The third
church since the founding of the mission was begun in 1793.
This and its adjoining sacristry were both of adobe,
plastered with mortar inside and outside and roofed with
tiles. The church had a portico in front of brick and was
roofed with tiles. The church also had six side chapels.
It was completed in 1794, and used for eighteen years when
the 1812 earthquake caused sufficient damage to necessitate
the building of a new edifice. Succeeding years were ac
companied by what must have been almost incessant activity
on the part of the padres and their neophyte helpers. In
1796, the ¥\rorm-eaten rafters of sycamore and poplar were
replaced by pine, 'which then became the only type of wood
used in the mission woodwork with the exception of a few
135 Sngeihardt, Santa Barbara Mission, p. 52.
83
details in native cedar. The same year a front corridor
was built facing the presidio as well as another in the
patio. The year 1808 not only marked the addition of glass
to the windows of the church and saoristry but also the
construction of a new front of masonry to the mission build
ing. In 1811, the facade of the church was completed. The
report of 1812 stated that the church had been damaged be
yond repair. In 1815, the sought-for permission was re
ceived from the government to erect the new church (the
fourth one) which was not completed until 1820. The new
church was dedicated in September, 1820, and Fr. Engelhardt
gives the following reasons for believing that this and the
three preceding churches were built on the same spot.
1. Fr. Andres Dulanto died February 13, 1808, and
received burial in the church the following day. No mention
is made of his removal to the new church.
2. Fr. Antonio Paterna died February 13, 1793, and
was buried in the church. No mention is made of his removal.
Since no mention is made of the removal of either of the
friars, Engelhardt believed they must have built succeeding
churches over the already consecrated ground.
3. Each new church had correspondingly larger dimen
sions than the preceding.136
.136 Engelhardt, Santa Barbara Mission, p. 101.
84
The yearly report for 1817 mentioned that in addition
to building of the stone church the front half of the wing
that faced the presidio was remodelled to match the rear
half. A tile roof was added and pine rafters were huilt in.
The year 18S0, which marked the completion of the new
stone edifice, brought a lengthy report from the fathers
Francisco Suner and Antonio -Ripoll, which throws interesting
light on some of the questions concerning successive de
sign stages of the mission buildings as well as the sources
and inspiration of some of the classic details at this partic
ular mission. From the following description it may be as
sumed that at the time of completion the church had but one
tower.
It [the church] is of dressed stone and mortar. The
walls of solid sandstone and two varas, or nearly six
feet thick, are strengthened by stone buttresses. The
massive tower of the same material has two stories and
holds six bells.
Further descriptions by the fathers this year mentioned
that there was a center niche above the entrance with a
statue* of Santa Barbara carved from the best stone found
here and painted. The apex and both angles were also
adorned with statues representing the three theological
virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.137 interior had
Engelhardt, Santa Barbara Mission, p. 113.
plastered walls, "frescoed,”138 columns and cornices, a
lathed and hard finished ceiling, ornamented with designs
from Vitruvius,, cut from cedar and painted. "The floor of
red cement, made from oil and lime, is hard and finely
polished. The altars are neatly ornamented with crucifixes
and statues in wood." The description continued with men
tion of the various statuary and movable decorations which
are not being considered in this study.
Credit for the designing and planning of this church
is generally given to Padre Ripoll. There were no architects
and it is therefore believed that Father Ripoll relied on a
Spanish translation of the Latin Vitruvius, containing
plates of the orders of architecture. Rexford Newcomb con
cluded from observation that Plate X of this volume furn
ished, most certainly, the inspiration for the facade.-*-39
After this there was a period of relaxation in build
ing activities, due to the political upheavals occurring at
this time. Franciscans again returned to the mission in
1856. In 1858, Fr. Antonio limeno raised the roof of the
main building to its present height and turned this second
floor into living quarters for the ecclesiastical", lay
138 word "frescoe" is frequently used in the des
cription of mission wall paintings. When referring directly
or indirectly to one of such sources the word has been used
as found in the description. Actually, however, the walls
were not frescoed. The medium was tempera on plaster.
^39 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 223.
86
brothers. Fr. Homo became the first Superior of the place
under the designation of Guardian in May, 1872; and he in
stigated several repairs and minor changes in the building.
The stairway to the tower, which had been walled up, was
opened and cleared for visitors who wanted to ascend and
enjoy the view; the pulpit on the left nave was removed, and
the winding stairs were put up from the rear of the church
to the organ loft. July 15, 1885, Fr. Ferdinand Bergmeyer
was elected Guardian of the Mission. In 1888, when Fr.
Kilian Scholesser succeeded as Guardina, he found much still
needed to be done, and had tiles put on the roof of the
front wing. In 1891, Fr. Fessler had burial vaults built
in the northern part of the cemetery. The vestry was trans
formed into a choir, which necessitated an alteration of
the doorway. This was walled up and made a window and the
stone stairway was removed around the corner so that admis
sion to the choir is now from the corridor along the church
wall. -^0
In September, 1896, the college was opened at the
mission and Fr. Peter began building a second floor to the
wing running back to the old mission structure. This was
finished and roofed a year later. Fr. Peter, who then be
came Guardian, concluded that quarters of the Old Mission
1^0 Engelhardt, Santa Barbara Mission, pp. 195-420.
87
were unsuitable and petitioned for authority to erect a
modern structure. The result was that a building designed
by Brother Adrain Wewer was begun in 1898 and was ready for
dedication in April, 1901. In 1905, an addition was built
to the west end of the front wing.444
In June, 1925, a severe earthquake badly damaged the
church. The two towers were crushed, the facade injured,
buttresses separated from their walls, roofs twisted, and
in some place broken through. It was some time before
enough funds could be raised to repair the damage. However,
with Edward L. Doheny as chairman, an old mission restora
tion committee was formed.
Restoration was undertaken and completed according to
a carefully prepared plan of exact duplication. Original
material was used where possible. Detailed measurements of
the church as originally built were followed in all their
variations. Examination of damaged portions revealed in
some instances decorative designs which had vanished during
interior "renovations,T t which long antedate the year 1925,
These original designs were restored by artists familiar
with the history and "feeling” of the Franciscans of Cali
fornia. Father Augustine engaged Ross Montgomery as archi
tect in charge of restoration.442
444 Engelhardt, Santa Barbara Mission, p. 424.
442 Index of American Design. Southern California.
Ms cl. 22a.
88
Study of architectural design and decoration. August
Duhaut-Cilly, one of the earliest to comment on Santa Bar
bara, wrote:
The front of the church is ornamented with six half
columns that support a triangular facade furnished with
a few statues of saints. The interior of the church
consists only of a nave with a flat ceiling and with no
side entrances. . . . The pillars, the trimmings, the
cornice work, and the plinths have a rather tasteful
marble finish, and are decorated with arabesques by a
hand not altogether unskilled.143
Mr. Alfred Robinson, the author of Life in California,
arrived in California during 1829, and wrote concerning
Santa Barbara Mission:
The stone church, with its two towers [apparently a
second one had been added in the years since Father
Suner’s report in 1820] and extensive wing, its arti
ficial clock [Engelhardt has found no other early
author nor any document which speaks of such a clock,
although an old wood-cut shows a large dial surmount
ing the front gable of the church, but the artist may
have got the idea from Robinson. In the rear of the
mission was a sun dial imbedded in the stone wall.
Engelhardt, Sta. Bar. 162 footnote.], tiled roofs,
arched corridors, and majestic fountain was before
In further speaking of this visit he mentioned that they
were received by Padre Antonio limeno in a small room with
the floor of colored cement, and the walls painted. They
were next taken through the vestry and a small dressing
room through a door into the church. Another door, Robinson
1 Anc
Engelhardt, Santa Barbara'Mission, p. 155.
144 Robinson, Life in California, p. 62.
89
mentioned later, opened upon the cemetery.145 Either these
doors had been put into the side walls of the nave since
Duhaut-Cilly1s visit two years previous or the earlier
writer had made a mistake in stating that the nave had no
side entrances.
In her book on the California Missions, published
in 1903, Mrs. Forbes found the double towers a distinctive
feature at Santa Barbara; but, she continued, the same
style of tower may be seen at Carmel, Ventura, and San Luis
Bey. The church building was described as having heavy
cross-beams and thick substantial walls, and a cement or
bitumen floor. The ceiling, she stated, showed evidence of
f,frescoe. ”1 ^ Concerning the church at Santa Barbara,
Charles Francis Saunders wrote that the interior with its
Indian mural decorations had tfof late been retinted into
aboriginal f l o r i d n e s s . tt147 Rexford Newcomb, in his thesis
of 1915, observed that the Santa Barbara bell towers were
characterized by masonry domes, and that the church had a
circular facade window over the door.-^® Newcomb’s later
145
Robinson, Life in California, p. 66.
146 Mrs. A. S. C. Forbes, California Missions and Land
marks , p. 49.
147 Saunders and Chase * The California Padres and Their
Missions, p. 161.
148 Newcomb, ”The Architecture of the Missions of Alta,
California," p. 43.
90
description of Santa Barbara tells that the front of the
church was ornamented with six half-columns that supported
a triangular pediment relieved by a few statues of saints.
The facade, Newcomb observed, was the only one in the mis
sion chain that had so much of the classic in its make
up .149
The interior was entered from a corridor of the mis
sion house. Three chapels were on either side of the nave,
the first of these on each side was built into the heavy
masonry of the walls of the nave, while the remaining four
stood inside the nave walls. Side portals gave access on
the right to the mission cemetery and on the left to the
"Monks™ garden. Flanking the sanctuary upon the extreme
left were the sacristy and choir room. The windows, New
comb observed, were of the Moorish splayed type, and as with
several of the other mission churches flat pilasters divided
the walls into b a y s . -*-50 The roof he found heavily beamed
and ceiled on the under side and embellished with curious
carved and painted decorations referred to locally as
"thunder bird" ornaments (Illustration 41, page 244).
"These were copied from the winged-distaff decorations of
149 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches and Historic
Houses of California, p. 220.
150 Ibid., p. 223.
91
the soffit of the Doric entablature figured on Plate XXXIII
of the Spanish translation of Yitruvius found in the mission
library .-^l
George Wharton James also remarked about the classic
facade at Santa Barbara (Illustration 31, page 240). The
six engaged columns, he said, were capped with Ionic
volutes and the decoration of the entablature was a varia
tion of the. Greek fret. The pediment was simple, with
heavy dentils under the cornice and a niche containing a
statue occupied the center.
The first story of the towers is a high, plain, solid
wall with a simply moulded cornice, composed of few, but
heavy and simple, members, upon which rests the second
and third stories each receding about half the thickness
of the walls below. Each story is furnished with a
cornice similar to the one below, and the two upper
stories are pierced with semicircular arches for bells.
. . . Both towers are surmounted by semicircular domes
of masonry construction with cement finish, above which
rests the lantern surmounted by the cross.I52
He also noted a chamfer at the corner of each tower, and the
pediment in pedestal form with tapering small steps to the
center, upon which rested a large iron cross. The priests’
quarters, he continued, were connected by a colonnade with
fourteen semicircular arches. James also noticed that
peculiar feature of California missions in which an entrance
w a s rounded or square on one side and curved and pointed on
Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 224.
1 RP
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 312.
92
the other. At Santa Barbara an arch similar to this was
seen in the window above the doorway leading into the grave
yard.^^ Concerning the wall paintings, lames observed the
marbleizing of engaged columns on each wall and entrance
and side arches, lames found this marble effect, which did
not represent the color of any known marble, exceedingly
crude.Mrs. Older writes that the architecture of this
building influenced San Luis Bey and San Buenaventura.
Today the church as it has already been described by
many writers is essentially the same as it was before the
earthquake of 1925 (Illustration 31, page 240). The classic
sandstone facade is of pale yellow with three pink Ionic
columns on either side of the main round arched doorway and
pink fret running along the frieze beneath the triangular
pediment. The fret is accented with rosettes having green
centers. The facade is flanked by the two massive looking
stone towers of three stories each. The corners are cham
fered, and they are each topped with a dome and a lantern.
The facade is further enhanced by a round deeply recessed
windov\T above the doorway and a niche in the pediment with a
statue of Santa Barbara standing before it. As with the
classic Greek pediments this one has been accented at either
corner and at the top with a figure, the three representing
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 325.
154 Ibid., p. 340.
93
faith, hope, and charity. These are not the original
figures but copies of them. The originals, which are now
in the mission museum, were shaken down and badly damaged
by the 1925 earthquake. They are hand-carved of native sand
stone, covered with a thin wash of cement, in which the more
delicate parts were modelled. Behind the pediment and rising
above it is a calvary cross. Also to be included in the exter
ior design of this church is the series of wide steps which
arise to a polygonal platform before the entrance way. Other
features to be noted on the exterior of the church are the
round arched openings in the towers, the round arched doorways
both at the front and leading into the cemetery and monks’ gar
den respectively. The towers are also heavily buttressed, the
roof is tiled, the plan is basilican, and cement has been used
in the floors. There are also several interesting design mo
tifs worked into the stone walls. Mentioned before by several
writers is the skull and cross bones motif used over the ceme
tery doorway (Illustration 33, page 241). The center skull and
cross bones is carved in stone, while the two at side are real.
This doorway is also characterized by a flat capital atop a
deeply chanelled pilaster resting on a square stone base em
bellished with an X shaped cross. Just below the eaves is
a series of rosette-formed openings in the stone walls.
(Illustration 32, page 241).
94
These openings as well as similar ones in the towers are for
ventilation, the padres say.
However, it is for the unusually fine woodwork that
Santa Barbara has been chiefly noted. The design of the
main door is particularly refined. It is composed of a
double door with a lunette above to fill the round arch.
Each door is composed of eight square panels set in moldings
more sophisticated than the average mission molding. The
two top panels of either door have small round window panes
cut into them. The lunette is also of wood and in the cen
ter is a window rounded at the top to conform with the
lines of the lunette. It is flanked by turned posts on
either side and is further modified by being divided into
six panes, three on either side. The side doors leading
into the nave are also of wood, and each half of these is
composed of four square panels surrounded by moldings. The
doors themselves are square-headed and thus are partially
covered on the exterior by the round arches.
The interior of this church has some equally inter
esting features. The nave has been divided into seven bays
and again the pilasters are capped with Ionic volutes. The
walls and doors of this interior have been elaborately
decorated. The schemes are partly classic and partly native
in feeling. The two side doorways are particularly interest
ing because the pine panels have been covered with gesso in
95
distemper pink, green, and tan shades with a conventional
ized floral design (Illustration 37, page 243)#155 Each
half of the door is divided into four square panels as was
found to be the case on the exterior. The design is com
posed of a light tan border running parallel to the panel
edge. At the corners of the border, which have been
curved in, there are sections of a rosette. An eight
petalled rosette accents the center of each panel, which has
been surrounded by a molding painted green.
Around the door are elaborate wall paintings. The
medium as with most mission wall painting is distemper on
plaster. As at San Fernando the doorway, which was found
to be a typical Roman round arch on the exterior, is on the
interior of the church a curved and pointed arch very
Moorish in character (Illustration 37, page 243 ) # The Ionic
volutes end in a simple scroll and beneath them is the
classic inspired use of the egg and dart. The pilaster is
chanelled in five grooves, the base composed of a series of
moldings in yellow, green, buff, pink, blue, and a marble-
ized portion. The pilasters partially cover the marbleized
dado atop which is running a simple guilloche of yellow on
a red ground with a band of green at the top. A flat en
tablature rests on the column. This is composed of marble-
155
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Ms cl. 20b.
96
ized and painted yellow portions. At either end is the
pineapple motif in pale red capped by three red leaflets,
and resting on blue leaves. A garland of flowers is
draped over a circular medallion with superimposed rosette.
Concerning the background and relationship of these designs
the Index of American Design research workers have found
that the Ionic order, which is used exclusively to all
other classic orders at Santa Barbara, has been recently
discovered at the neighboring Mission of St. Ines in a
cruder attempt. As for the pineapple represented above each
pilaster, it is said to have been used as a symbol of hos
pitality by the Spaniards.^56
A wall painting around one of the windows in the
sanctuary shows similar inspiration, but the motifs differ
from the classic detail to be found around the doorways.
The window is an elaborately molded arch bordered in blue
and yellow distemper paint on plaster. The design around
the window consists of leaf and floral motifs with the head
of an angel with golden hair and wings (Illustration 39,
page 244) . Leafy branches are painted to follow the outline
of the window and at the termination of each branch is a
bell-shaped red flower outlined in yellow with a fan-shaped
red and blue center hanging from it.-1 -5^
-*-56 Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 20a.
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 33a.
97
The painting around the west doorway of the choir
loft is similar to the one already mentioned in the nave.
Again the design is characterized hy marbleizing, conven
tionalized flowers and pineapples (Illustration 38, page
243). The Tuscan order is shown in the painted representa
tion of chanelled pilasters, and a Greek fret is used as a
border at the top of the wall. The colors are yellow, red,
orange, white, pink, gold, blue, green, and of course the
marbleized effect.1^8
The small side chapels on either side of the nave
are exceptionally elaborate. Although the painting gives
the feeling of depth in the coffered qeiling, the classic
border and pilasters, it is actually painted on the flat
plaster walls and rounded ceiling. The round-arched door
way shows a keystone with a cross as its central motif
(Illustration 38, page £43}. The marbleized surface of the
pilasters have been relieved by chanelling. The archway is
framed in a garland of large greenish-gray leaves, seen
frequently in mission decoration and very much resembling
a laurel wreath. However, -the walls and ceiling of the
little chapel itself are extremely classic in feeling. The
dado around the wall of the chapel is composed of diapering
158
Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. £3a.
98
just above the mop board. This is bordered with an anthe-
mion design above which is a leaf and tongue border. Above
the dado the walls are paneled in an all-over conventional
ized dark green pomegranate motif on a lighter green ground
bordered with a twisted rope caught at the corners with
gray "mounts.” Since the design is all painted on flat
walls, it only gives the illusion of depth in some of the
motifs. The panels are separated by Ionic pilasters sup
porting a freize of anthemion and borders of egg-and-dart
and dentils. The ceiling, which is constructed after the
mansard type dome, has been painted with coffers.-*-50
The wood decorations which are being considered in
this study aside from the doors already mentioned are the
carved ceiling motifs and the chancel railing. The "thunder-
bird" (Illustration 41, page 244) wood carvings on the
ceiling are made of native cedar and the design is an in
teresting interpretation of the Greek symbol of Zeus, copied
from a work on architecture by the classical Vitruvius.
This is but one of a number of instances of the introduction
of pagan symbols into decoration applied by Indian neophyte
artisans to Christian churches.-*-60
- I - 50 Index of American Design. Southern California.
Mscl. 22a.
16° Lanier Bartlett, "Native Art of the Southwest,"
p. 4.
99
The chancel railing was made of native pine, carved
and painted (Illustration 40, page 244)* The spindles in
the two swinging doors were turned on a lathe. According to
evidence accumulated by the Index research workers, the
Chumash Indians of the Santa Barbara Channel coast and their
related tribesmen of the off-shore islands had a special
aptitude for working with wood. The craftshops of Santa
Barbara turned out the best examples of woodwork surviving
from the Mission Period. The hinged doors of this railing
have been painted green, and the black railing is modified by
a series of marbleized moldings. A "serpentine" or "stream
of life" design is used on the edge of the square posts of
green on either side of the gate. The slats of the railing
are carved in a modified vase shape rising from a central
medallion embellished with a painted rosette. The colors
used in this design are green, black, red, yellow, and
marbleizing.
The mission house. The ^mission house is of interest
because of its hand-turned wooden window grilles, its doors
and doorways and shutters and windows.
The main entrance to the mission house (Illustration
25, page 237) is round arched with pilasters and arch of
161 Index of American Design. Southern California.
C A 44.
1 0 0
tan sandstone decorated with distemper paint. The doors are
of native pine, hand carved in the stream of life design and
painted a dull red. The pilasters are characterized by
chanelling and rest on a square base. The door itself is
square headed and each half has two parallel serpentine
channels and is surrounded by a narrow molding. There is no
attempt at design on the back of the door, but purely con
structional pieces have been pegged in to reinforce it.
On the facade of the building over one of the windows
is an interesting keystone design. This decoration had been
covered with a layer of plaster at some undetermined date.
The earthquake of 1925 shook the plaster away and during the
restoration work following the earthquake the design was
repainted according to original conditions. It is of tan
sandstone carved and painted in distemper. The design re
presents a cross reserved in sandstone on a base against a
light blue background. Above this is a red heart-shaped
face with emanating rays.
Window grilles and shutters. A window of the recep
tion room in the mission house reveals the type of shutters
used here. They are of pine, painted green and simply
panelled with purely constructive details. ■ Each shutter
has wooden windows within the door of the shutter. These
hang on separate hinges and are secured by a simple block
of wood which turns on a pin of metal. The window when
1 0 1
opened reveals four equidistant strips of wood forming five
panes♦
Further security was afforded by the window grilles.
These at Santa Barbara are considered particularly finished •
for mission design and may be favorably compared both in
conception and execution with the delightful wrought iron
grilles at San FernandoIllustration 34, page 242, shows
one of these grilles which were composed of a series of spool
turned spindles within a wooden casement or frame. The
grille has been bowed out in the center much as the ones at
San Fernando and has been further embellished by small
wooden finials on either end of the top casement.
Illustration 42, page 245, shows the interior of
the reception room. Here such features as the Moorish arch,
the splayed window, the corbels,and ceiling beams and the
painted dado are to be seen. Dadoes are to be seen on many
of the rooms in the mission houses. Here the simple border
is relieved only by a conventionalized floral design, which
is also continued around the doors. The colors used here
are pink, gray-green, gray, white, blue, red, and yellow.
In another room the simple dado is relieved by a wave de
sign, and still another has a border of repeating abstract
motifs similar to a fleur de lis. The' colors are red, yellow,
blue, and black.
1 0 2
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
The church:
Exterior:
Of dressed yellow sandstone.
One tower only on completion 1820 according to records.
Niche above doorway containing figure of Santa Barbara.
Faith, Hope, and Charity on apex and angles of pediment.
Three pink Ionic pilasters on either side of round-
arched doorway.
Two three-storied towers with chamfered corners and
domed and lanterned roofs' also heavily buttressed.
Triangular classic pediment.
Creek fret accented with rosettes (green centers).
Circular recessed window above doorway.
Calvary cross.
Shallow steps running entirely around to walls of facade
arise to broad polygonal platform in front of entrance.
Hound-arched tower openings.
Hound-arched doorways.
Skull and cross bones motif.
Carved chanelling in pilasters.
Hound arches of doors rest on projecting base.
Paneled wood door round arched lunette above with
central window flanked by turned posts.
Circular windows in top panels of door on facade.
Side doors square-headed and paneled pine.
Stone ventilation openings carved in rosette form.
Interior:
Hed cement floor made from oil and lime.
Seven bays divided by Ionic pilasters.
Side doorways gessoed and painted with pink distemper,
decorated with conventionalized floral design in
green and tan.
Doorway interior Moorish pointed arch.
Painted chanelling on pilasters.
Painted egg and dart.
Carved moldings.
Marbleized dado.
Painted guilloche.
Flat pediment.
Pineapple motif.
Garland of flowers.
Circular medallion with superimposed rosette.
Leaf and floral motifs.
103
Angel’s head.
Tuscan order.
Greek fret.
Hound-arched entrance to side chapel.
Ceiling painted to represent coffering.
Keystone using cross as central motif.
Diappered dado.
Anthemion border.
Painted leaf and tongue border.
Pomegranate design.
Painted twisted rope motif.
Thunderbird of cedar.
Serpentine or stream, of life chancel railing.
Spindles.turned to a lathe chancel railing.
Modified vase shape slats chancel railing.'
Colors: red, yellow, green, blue, orange, white, black,
gold, buff, pink, marbleized effects. Greenish and
grayish blue.
Mission house:
Two storied adobe building with brick arcading and
sandstone details.
Tile roof and floor.
Pine doors and shutters.
Stream of life main entrance door.
Carved chanelling on pilasters.
Pilasters rest on square base.
Round arch of door rests on projecting base.
Keystone representing cross reserved in sandstone
against light blue ground above red heart-shaped face
with emanating rays.
Shutters simply paneled with purely constructive details
have wooden windows within the door of the shutter.
Window grilles, spool turning topped at either end with
wooden finials.
Interior:
Moorish arch.
Corbeled ceiling beams.
Painted dadoes composed of simple borders relieved by
conventionalized floral and abstract motifs.
Colors are pink, gray-blue, gray, white, blue, red,
yellow, black, blue.
CHAPTER III
THE MISSIONS OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
The seven missions studied in this area included
Santa Ines and La Purisima in the south and San Juan
Bautista in the north. Although San Carlos Borromeo is
actually south of San Juan Bautista, it seemed advisable to
include the study of this mission and Santa Cruz in with the
Bay Area missions. With the exception of La Purisima Concep
cion all of the missions studied in this area are a considera
ble distance from the ocean, usually being protected by the
foot hills. In the field of design this area runs second to
the Southern California area as far as quantity is considered
Although two of the missions of this area were almost com
pletely obliterated, one of them has been rebuilt and the
other, which is a complete ruin except for the foundations,
was studied from pictures. Two missions in particular in
this area swell the material as far as design is concerned.
These are Santa Ines and San Miguel, both of which are noted
for their interior decorating schemes.
I. SANTA INES
Building history. Santa Ines was founded in September
1803, and an adobe church was built during the first year.
105
In 1804, a v o v i of adobe buildings was constructed which con
tained a temporary church. A long narrow building with a
tiled roof was erected to serve as the church after the
earthquake of 1812, which damaged a corner of the old church.
This building was used until the next church was completed
in 1817. The ground was excavated in 1814 for the stone
foundations; the church was completed in 1816, a belfry was
built and the church was dedicated in July, 1817. According
to reports of December 31, 1816, the interior of the church
resembled that at Santa Barbara, apparently having been
consciously patterned after it by the missionary fathers. On
the south side the walls were veneered with burnt brick. The
building as well as other structures completed during the
year had pine timbers and all were roofed with tiles. Fr.
Francisco was in charge from 1808 to 1824, and may thus be
1
given credit for the selection of design in the church. The
report of December, 1824, signed by Fr. Bias Ordaz, stated
that a "fire had destroyed parts of the church." In 1825,
the interior of the church was painted,and in 1826 the sac
risty was reroofed to make it correspond with the roof of the
2
church. The vestry was painted inside in 1827. The period
of mission secularization brought decline to Santa Ines. In
^ 3ephyrin Engelhardt, Mission Santa Ines, pp. 11-29.
2 Ibid., p. 36.
106
1882, Miss K. Donohue and her father, who was a carpenter,
3
came to live at the old mission with Father Michael Lynch.
The church was in ruins when Miss Donahue first arrived.
After the heavy rains of 1884, which did considerable damage,
Miss Donahue’s father, who was a stone mason and carpenter,
did repair work on the adobe walls, the roof, the floors,
and windows. Rafael, an old Indian who was caretaker of the
church, "at this time decorated the altar, et cetera.”
Progress in restoration was slow until 1904, when the Bishop
of the Los Angeles Diocese ordered restoration work to be
resumed. In 1911, donations made it possible to put in new
door frames and wood work, to whitewash the ceilings and
walls and to rebuild the b'ell-wall and three buttresses which
had fallen that year. The tiles of the roof were removed
until a new roof of board and tar paper replaced the old
thatched roof.
Study of architectural design and decoration. One of
the more recent observers of mission design, Mrs. Forbes,
compares the bell wall with that of San Gabriel. The interior
she found like San Fernando with "massive square beams,
carved,” supporting the ceiling. She found the two red
"stripes. . . which extend from the ground to the beginning
of the gable, where they met a narrower horizontal line of
^ The following information is from Miss E. Donahue
and is reproduced by Engelhardt, pp. 126-157.
107
4
the same color. . . hideous in appearance." James wrote
that the church floor was of red tiles and all the windows
he found had semicircular arches.
Plain, rounded, heavy mouldings about three feet from
the floor, and the same distance from the ceiling, ex
tend around the inside of the church, making a simple
and effective structural ornament.
James added that Santa Ines had received considerable reno-
5
vation since "In and Out of the Old Missions" was written.
James also described the campanile as having a pediment "in
a succession of convex curves; three in the series dropping
down from the central arch on which the cross rests." Con
cerning the interior decoration James made some elaborate
descriptions. The ceiling beams he found painted fed, yellow,
and green, "into a portion of a circle with pendants at each
point, and with a leaf design inside each. . . On the bottom
of each beam is a conventionalized trailing vine. • . " The
decorations of the side walls he found were in black and green
around the window with imitation marble in the panels at
each side. The arch between the sanctuary and sacristy
James found elaborately decorated and the "most striking and
pleasing" mural decoration of the whole building he found in
4 Harrie Rebecca Piper Forbes, California Missions and
Landmarks and How to Get There» p. 53.
^ George Wharton James, In and Out of the Old Missions,
p. 266.
108
the sacristy. James described it as done in blues, reds, and
yellows. It was composed of a flower and leaf design above,
f t
and below a G-reek key design. In regard to the belfry at
Sta Ines, Newcomb believed it possible that Padres Calzada
and Uria, who had served at Santa Ines, doubtless followed
similar schemes of building there as they had at San Gabriel
7
where they served before being sent to Santa Ines. The
facade Newcomb described as being plain with a low-gabled
wall, pierced by a circular headed door with window above,
and flanked by flat pilasters. The interior had a choir
over the eastern entrance and a sanctuary at the west end.
The lateral walls were broken by flat pilasters similar to
those on the facade. He also mentioned the doors opening on
the north and south side walls. The original Indian paintings
remained in the sanctuary and sacristy when Newcomb visited
Q
the church.
Mrs. Older mentioned the eight windows placed high in
the walls of the nave, the archways over the choir painted
by the Indians on canvas stretched over a wooden frame and
bound with leather strips. The decorations of the church were
in red, yellow,and brown. Concerning the arcading, Mrs. Older
6 James, In and Out of the Old Missions, pp. 319-339.
7 Rexford Newcomb, The Old Mission: Churches and
Historic Houses of California, p. 179.
8
Ibid., p. 233.
109
mentioned the round arches in front of the mission house,
while in back of the mission houses -the arches were rounded
9
with the exception of one which was Gothic,
Lanier Bartlett praised the woodwork at the mission
and compared the corbels at Santa Ines with those at San
Fernando. Concerning the wooden gates under the choir loft
Bartlett mentioned the carved panels.
These are gracefully curved and carved in a highly
stylized design of roses, rosebuds and leaves. The
rose, especially the California wild rose, so similar
to the rose of Castile that the early Spanish padres
often commented upon it lovingly, was a favorite decora
tive motif in the California mission period. Where this
emblem is used design is attributable to a Spaniard or
Spanish-Mexican rather than to a local Indian.10
Concerning the whitewashed walls at Santa Ines Warren W.
Lemmon wrote:
The sacristy and sanctuary being the only parts of the
mission uncovered by whitewash and plaster, the remaining
wall area promises thrilling and valuable work for Index
artists, when they remove the outer layers.H
Mrs. Holway described the mural work at this mission, (Illus
tration 49, page 249). Her descriptions are apparently
accurate, with the exception, however, of her color notation
9 Mrs. Fremont Older, California Missions and Their
Romances, p. 272.
1 0
■ Lanier Bartlett, "Carved Ornamentation of the
California Mission Period," not paged.
n
warren W. Lemmon, "The Study of Early American Wall
Painting in Southern California," Index of American Design
(Los Angeles, California: Federal Art Project), p7 3.
11 0
in regard to the wooden protection placed over the original
stone altar. The band on this with lozenges containing
baskets of flowers is striped in blue and white, Mrs.
Holway states,-*-2 while plates made by Index artists show the
stripes to be in rose and white. The double order of
chaneled Ionic columns, the shell niche, marbleizing, and
dentils decorate the broad wall space. Other motifs used on
this wall are ropes of roses, lozenges with center rosettes,
a scalloped border framing discontinuous lozenges, and the
elongated connecting leaf pattern seen over the doorways at
Santa Barbara and under an arch at San Luis Rey. A close
examination of Index plates yields information in addition
to Mrs. Holway's. Illustration 47, page 248, shows drawing
of the painted decoration which originally surrounded a niche
1 3
in the nave of the church. This niche has been converted
into a side altar and the wooden details of the latter cover
most of the space occupied by the early decoration. Over-
lying whitewash was scraped away in order to enable an artist
to make an accurate restoration drawing. The niche which
breaks into the pink marbleized wall dado is flanked by two
Ionic type columns on either side in brown outlined in Ver
million and supporting a triangular pediment of alternating
12 Mrs. Mary Gordon Holway, The Art of the Old World
in Hew Spain and the Mission Days of Alta California, p. 114.
Index of American Design, So. Cal. Mscl 176a.
marbleized brown sections on either side of a naturalistic
tree or shrub with green leaves and pink trunk. A photograph
of the wall as it actually looked after scraping whitewash
away may be seen in the photographic files of the Index of
American Design (So. Gal. Mscl 175b). The ceiling beams over
the sanctuary are of native pine using lime wash with color
added for the designs. (Illustration 44, page 247). The
center of the beam has a conventionalized flower with petals
alternating in blue and yellow. A terra-cotta colored vine
runs along the beam toward either end and is accented by
conventionalized buds in red, blue, and yellow. The side of
the beam reveals geometric and conventionalized design motifs.
These are scallops and lozenges, in terra-cotta and buds in
yellow. The corbels at either end are outlined in black. The
decorations used are a conventionalized plant composed of
green stem and alternating green leaves ending in a red and
yellow bud. The portion of the corbel nearest the wall uses
a fan-shaped motif with yellow ribs separated by a green rib.
A black vine with a terra-cotta bud further ornaments this
part of the corbel.
The screen for the choir seemed to be so definitely
an architectural decoration that the writer has included it
in this study, although it was painted on canvas and attached
to the arches, (Illustration 46, page 247). This design is
in gray, light yellow,and light blue. It follows the column
112
and arch construction using the Corinthian style for decora
tion of the columns. Other motifs used are lozenges,
14
flowers, and classic detail in the painted molding. Door
way decoration resembles that at Santa Barbara. A round-
arched doorway15 resting on a double capital uses the
elongated connecting leafy ornament resembling a laurel wreath.
The doorway also has painted pilasters using the same motif
as ornamentation. This same motif is repeated over a window
in the church.1'6 The painted border in the sanctuary uses
as motifs a bowl containing conventionalized flowers with
ivy-shaped leaves, while the acanthus is used for the border
motif on either side of the bowl. The walls are partly
paneled with painted drapery, (Illustration 45, page 247)
and an all-over daisy design is used on other parts of the
17
walls. The woodwork at this mission already referred to
may be seen in the original carved door formerly at the main
entrance to the church. These are of native oak unfinished
and carved with the stream of life design. The original
1 R
wooden shutters from the monastery use the same motif.
14
Index of American Design, So. Cal.Mscl. 183.
Index of American Design, So. Cal. Mscl 94.
^ Index of American Design, So. Cal. Mscl 177b.
17
Index of American Design, So. Cal. Mscl 19b and So.
Cal. Mscl 177a.
18
Index of American Design,, So. Cal. Ar. 12b.
113
Another pair of shutters was made for a rounded arch. The
decoration used on these is in the form of simple moldings
19
following constructive lines. The ornamental gate between
the entry.and nave of the church proper is carved in a
PO
naturalistic design using the wild rose and leaf.
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Exterior:
Round arched arcade.
One Gothic arch.
Niche containing cross.
Round-headed doorway and windows.
Double and triple projecting bases support arches of doorway.
Curved bell-gable with pyramidal caps at corners.
Terra-cotta painted accents.
Interior:
Massive square beams.
Moldings about three feet from floor and ceiling.
Corbels (compared with San Fernando Rey).
Shell niche.
Wall paintings:
Geometric and abstract designs (exclusive of classic
details) .
Semicircle with pendants.
Lozenges (with baskets of flowers).
Stripes.
Lozenges with center rosette.
Wing abstract.
Serpentine (stream of life).
Painted drapery on walls.
Marbleizing.
Index of A m e r i c a n Design, So. Cal. Ar. 13b.
PO
^ Index of American Design, So. Cal. 13b.
114
Designs using vegetation as motif:
Leaf.
Roses, rosebuds, and leaves.
Basket of flowers.
Ropes'of roses.
Elongated connecting leaf pattern resembling laurel
wreath (Santa Barbara and San Luis Rey).
Naturalistic tree or shrub.
Conventionalized buds.
Vine.
Vine and bud.
Bowl and flowers.
All-over daisy pattern.
Classic:
Composite style.
Greek fret.
Acanthus.
Dentils.
Rosettes.
Saw-tooth dentil
II. LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION
Building history. La Purisima was formally founded
December 8, 1787, by Fr. Francisco Lasuen, and building
activities were begun in the spring of 1788 by Fathers Fr.
Vicente Fuster and Fr. Joseph Arroita. "There are no reports
extant for the first years about building operations, but
doubtless a chapel and a dwelling for the two missionaries
was the first work undertaken in that line.”2- * - December 31,
1794 was the date of the first official reports regarding
2- * - Zephyr in Engelhardt, La Concepcion Purisima, p. 8.
115
building. The buildings mentioned in this first report were
dwellings and working rooms and were of adobe roofed with
tile. In 1795, in addition to a construction of a granary
the fathers began to collect materials for a new church.
Building activities continued with the construction of secular
buildings. There are no reports extant for 1801, but the
new church must have been under construction, although the
fathers do not mention it once in connection with the building
activities. They must have informed Fr. Presidents Lasuen,
however, for in his Biennial Report for 1800-02 he wrote
under date of February 21, 1803. "In the missions of Purisima
Concepcion and San Luis Rey they have in each one completed
their church of adobe, sufficiently large and very becoming."22
On April 29, 1811, Fr. Payeras hired the carpenter and mason
Josef Antonio Ramirez to "assist in the building." Engelhardt
believed that Ramirez must have resigned before the end of the
year since his name no longer figures in the accounts. In
the Annual Report for December, 1812, the fathers related
that the earthquake entirely destroyed the church and vestry.
"The fathers appear to have concluded that it would be better
to transfer the site rather than to try to repair," Engelhardt
23
reasoned. The fathers wrote from the new site in
22 Engelhardt, La Purisima Concepcion, p. 18.
. , p. 31.
116
December 31, 1813. The structures were temporary, made of
palisades with thatched roofs. The church was of poles
veneered with adobe. Although 1813 must have been a busy
year, the 1814 reports do not show this. In 1815, repairs
were made and a large building was erected. This housed a
chapel, but a temporary church was also built. In 1816,
another long building was erected and the chapel was decorated
n as much as Franciscan poverty permitted." In 1817, the
24
fathers were completing foundations for a new church. In
1818, the palisade church collapsed and another church of
adobe with tile roof was constructed. However, this was not
to be used as a permanent church. Activity lagged for a
couple of years; but, in 1821, Fathers Payeras and Rodriguez
reported that a belfry was joined to the church. In 1822,
three niches were made in the altar for three mirrors. These
mirrors, Engelhardt writes, usually about a yard high and
usually in metal frames, were sent from Mexico, where the
people were very fond of them. The last addition was an
adornment to the main altar in 1831.
There is some confusion as to the date of completion
of the third church; but both Mrs. Forbes and Mrs. Older
OA
Engelhardt, La Purisima Concepcion, p. 41.
25
Mrs. A. S. C. Forbes, California Missions and
Landmarks, p. 54.
P f t
Mrs. Fremont Older, California Missions and Their
Romances, p. 176.
117
say it was in 1825. After the period of secularization and
decline had passed, La Purisima seemed to have been the
victim, of some very fervent restoration projects. In 1912,
The Monitor, the diocesan weekly of San Fernando, had an
article headed "The Resurrection of Lompoc" in which restora-
?7
tion work on the old mission was urged. Another plan was
started under Father Raley, but when he was transferred to a
parish in the south the plan was abandoned.28 in 1903, the
Union Oil bought the mission and had the roof tile removed
and placed near to the church, on condition that it be
restored; the buildings were offered to the county or state.
The restoration project was taken over by California Division
of Parks in 1935, utilizing C. C. C. labor in rebuilding the
almost entirely ruined mission. Mr. F. C. Hagaman was em
ployed as senior foreman architect.29
*
Study of architectural designs and decoration. In
regard to the wall paintings which were restored, Warren
Lemmon writes:
The . . . findings on painting techniques have been
presented to those now working on Lompoc’s Mission, L*a
Engelhardt, La Concepcion Purisima, p. 120.
28
Ibid., p. 124.
29 Mrs. Fremont Older, California Missions and Their
Romances, p. 179.
118
Purisima Concepcion, which had been reduced to a heap
of fragmentary bits of plaster. These scattered pieces
have proven a real "jig-saw" puzzle for the C. C. C.
boys, who are encamped on the old Mission site while
restoring the Mission village for a State Park and
Museum. Later, Index artists will be assigned to make
restoration drawings from what data is.available, there
by saving another motif for our national archives.30
The Index of American Design workers found that the decora
tion was first scratched in plaster and then painted red.
(Illustration 50, page 25QJ. An examination of the illustra
tion shows that it was a border design composed of interlaced
scallops connected at the top by a curved band bearing two
pod-like designs verging toward the center and caught together
by an interlaced stroke. The design within this device is
a conventionalized floral pattern with the two pod-like
patterns growing out of the same base as the flower. This
pattern rests on a border of a continuous lozenge motif. The
f Z - l
color is now a grayed pink. x In writing of the general
architectural design of this building, Mrs. Forbes mentioned
the massive square pillars which support the veranda and the
substantial appearance of the long low adobe structure with
32
red tile roof. George Wharton James described the building
Leinmon, "Study of Early American Wall Painting in
Southern California," p. 5.
3- * * Index of American Design, So. Cal. Mscl 173a.
32 Mrs. A. S. C. Forbes, California Missions and
Landmarks, p. 55.
119
as buttressed with solid and well built masonry at the
southwest end, and as having two stories in some sections of
the building. The corridors, he continued, extended in
front of the building only, and the pillars were square with
chamfered corners. Some were of stone and others were of
burnt brick or adobe. The windows were low and arched, and
the church was a room in the "long structure" containing
33
living rooms.
An examination of the restored buildings at La
Purisima reveals many copies of designs used at other
missions. They have been arbitrarily used in the reconstruc
tion. The building itself probably retains most of its
original floor plan since it was reconstructed from the few
ruined walls which were left. The main features, which have
been mentioned by other writers, will not be rediscussed by
the investigator; but in addition mention should be made that
at the present time the west-end wall, with its heavy stone
buttress, has projecting decorated corbels beneath the eaves.
The north long wall, which is not corridored, is relieved by
doorways and windows. In reconstruction the upper windows
have been constructed with flat wooden lintels at the top,
while the lower story windows have elliptical arches. Most
33 James, In and Out of the Old Missions, pp. 207-8.
of the lower windows use six-paned casement windows similar
to those used in the Santa Barbara Mission House. Some of
the windows have been shuttered after designs at Santa
Barbara, while a few of the lower windows on the south or
corridored wall have been grilled with wooden grilles and
most of the upper story windows are grilled. These grilles
are made of vertical posts, which are held together by a
horizontal piece in the center with holes cut through to
conform with the square posts. The frame is decorated with
simple grooving and is held together by blind mitreing. The
angle of the square post, incidentally, faces the observer.
The doors are modeled after designs seen at San Fernando Rey
and Santa Barbara. The stream of life design may be seen
in the entrance to the church, which retains its original
character of being a part of the long building. Towards the
west end of the long building is a passage way which goes
completely through the building and is not closed off by
doors or gates. This‘ .is characterized by an elliptical arch
resting on projecting bases, which are lengthened to give an
extremely strong feeling of horizontality. The corridor
along the south side still retains nine of the original
chamfered pillars and additional reconstructed ones to com-
plete the design. The pillars support the tiled roof of the
corridor, which rests on elaborately carved and elongated
corbels.
1 2 1
The interior of the churoh has been reconstructed
from old pictures. As already observed, it is a part of
the long building. The south side wall contains the entrance
from the exterior, which is characterized by the serpentine
or stream of life decoration on the door. This wall is also
windowed and has the unusual feature of a clerestory. On
the opposite long wall is a grilled door into the baptistry
and a simple arched entry into the sacristy. The altar wall
is decorated with three niches which have been based on pic
tures of the old church before this part of it was completely
ruined. According to this picture the two side niches have
fluted plaques behind them— perhaps an attempt at a shell-
niche. The grilled door into the baptistry, the altar rail,
and the choir gallery rail in the west end all use the same
type of wooden grille construction. This consists of flat
pieces of wood, which have been carved to represent two vase
like elongated pieces separated by a flattened bulb. The
newel posts at the end of the altar rails are square posts
of wood, which have been tapered off in pyramidal shape at
the top and capped with a small round finial.
Other features used at this mission are boarded and
beamed ceilings, some tile and some wood floors, a corner
fireplace and window niches probably fashioned after those
at Santa Barbara.. (Illustration 42, page 245 )• The project
1 2 2
is in the process of reconstructing another church at the
present time. The interior is similar to the design of the
old church, while the exterior is a long rectangular building
with a bell gable at the east end patterned after the one at
Santa Inez. The east end of the corridor of the main mission
building has been constructed so as to resemble a round
arched window which has been plastered in and then a round
arched doorway cut through a corner of it.
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Exterior:
Long low building with low-arched windows.
Square pillars with chamfered corners.
End wall heavily buttressed.
Elaborately carved corbels.
Some windows grilled and some shuttered.
Designs copied from other missions (in reconstruction).
Church:
Clerestory.
Crilled doors, altar rail,and choir rail use vase and
bulb motif.
Eluted plaques behind altar niches perhaps represent
shell.
Border design scratched in plaster:
Interlaced scallops.
Pod design.
Conventionalized flower.
Continuous lozenge border.
III. SAN LUIS OBISPO
On September 1, 1772, the first mass was said on the
123
spot which had been chosen for the mission. The Fr.
Presidente assigned Fr. Jose Cavalier as administrator and
.appointed two Lower California neophytes to help with the
building. These first structures were on three distinct
occasions afflicted with fires, which were the result of
Indian incendiarism. The fathers contrived a way for making
tiles at this mission; and, following their example, all of
34
the missions eventually roofed their buildings with tiles.
On November 29, 1776, Fr. Font reported a fire which destroyed
the fathers1 dwellings and all the furniture and farm imple
ments. A report of December 21, 1792, written by Fr. Presi
dente Lasuen tells of an artisan, Antonio Dominguez
„ . 35
Henriquez.
The first Informe Bienal, dated December 31, 1798,
was reported by Fathers Ciribet and Luis Martinez. Between
1800 and 1812, building activities consisted of constructing
dwellings and rooms for working. These were of adobe , while
the woodwork was pine,^6 and they were roofed with tile.
In 1812, Fathers Martinez and Rodriguez report that
the main altar received some alterations in f f Roman style.f t
34 Zephyrin Engelhardt, Mission San Luis Obispo,
pp. 16-19.
35 Ibid.. p. 40.
» » PP- 43-56.
124
The interior of the church was renovated, and a board ceilir^
was put in the fathers’ rooms. Between 1813 and 1830, Fr.
Gil signed the usual Informe Anua 1. ”The church although in
a decent condition,” Fr. Gil noted, T,is Francis canlike, that
is to say, whatever is needed, exists.” However, Fr. Gil
reported the buildings in a poor state. In 1831, only the
belfry, a bit of adobe wall with openings for bells, was re
paired. In December, 1932, Fr. Gil reported that every day
the mission structures were decaying. He continued: f T The
belfry mentioned last year has been demolished by rains,
wherefore we built another of masonry.” In 1844, the mission
settlement was made a pueblo by Micheltorena and thus became
37
a parish church.
In 1929, Charles Fletcher Lummis found the church in
use, a portion of the convent was left and was occupied by
38
an academy for girls and a parish school under the sisters.
In 1934, the restoration of the mission was resumed. The
boards over the doorway were taken down revealing a florid
classical design painted around the doorway and an interest
ing old pine door. (Illustrations 51 and 52, page 251)#
rzn
Engelhardt, San Luis Obispo, pp. 120-122.
Charles Fletcher Lummis, The Spanish Pioneers and
the California Missions, p. 334.
125
Study of architectural design and decoration at San
Luis Obispo. A nineteenth century painting revealed the
39
essential features of .the facade at San Luis Obispo.
These are the three round-arched openings leading into the
narthex, and the three apertures in the facade for bells,
the wide eaves and the cornice lines on a level with the
springing of the bell apertures, as well as those on a level
with the spring of the entry ways. Also shown in this pic
ture is a wall, roofed with tile and ending in newell-posts
with bulbous finials. The corridor at this mission was with
out the arches that are in the southern area one of the dis-
40
tmctive features. The old doors, illustrations 51 and 52,
page 251, James described as ornamented by r,two rosette-like
panels with terrace-bevelled edges, fastened on each of the
two divisions; these being impaled with heavy spikes, the
heads of which form star-like bosses— while other similar
bosses are disposed symmetrically throughout the body of the
door.
The exterior of San Luis Obispo has been restored
Francisco Palou, Historical Memoirs of New
California. Vol. II, p. 360.
4:0
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 155.
41 Ibid-, P- 346.
126
within the last few years to a semblance of its former appear
ance. Belfry and arched entries have been restored in 1934,
at which time the boarding was taken down from the doorway
revealing a florid acanthus leaf and grape design in tones
of violet, (Illustrations 51 and 52, page 251 ). This wall
painting might have been done during the renovation under
taken in 1812, or possibly still a later date. The design
has been painted on in such a way as to give the feeling of
depth, and consists of nine stones around the arch with
swirls of acanthus leaves and rosettes over them. The center
stone bears the papal insignia, while the arch rests on
painted pilasters. There is a portion of another painted
arch on either side of the pilaster, but this has been cut
off by additions to the building.
On the exterior the windows at San Luis Obispo are round-
headed and splay into a square-headed aperture, while.the
the interior is very similar, with the exception that the head
of the arch is a little more rounded, but this might be due
to frequent plastering. The ceiling beams on the church
interior are undecorated except for the corbels at either
end. The corbels at this mission are peculiar in that they
are formed of two pieces of wood. The lines are sharp rather
than rounded. Further decoration consists of round, molded
ceiling boards running along the wall just below the corbels.
127
Concerning wall paintings at San Luis Obispo, Warren
W. Lemmon wrote: "Recent restorations at San Luis Obispo
have caused the Mission to resemble a parish church, lacking
in interest. Mrs. Fremont Older mentioned the ceiling,
"ornamented with blue stars undimmed as when they came from
4^
the brush of the Indians."
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Exterior:
Three round-arched openings leading into narthex.
Three round-arched apertures for bells incorporated in
facade.
Cornice lines on level with springing of bell apertures
and entry-ways-.
Newell posts with bHiOibous finials.
Corridor without arches.
Pine doors with panels having terrace-beveled edges and
corners rounded off concavely.
Designs around doorway:
Acanthus leaf.
Grape.
Rosette.
Papal insignia.
Color: tones of violet.
Interior:
Round-headed windows with rectangular apertures.
Corbels formed of two pieces of wood.
Wooden cornice painted terra-cotta red.
Blue stars on ceiling.
42
Lemmon, "Study of Early American Wall Painting in
Southern California," p. 3.
4 3 Older, o j d . cit., p. 82.
IV. SAN MIGUEL
128
Building history. July 25, 1797, Father Lasuen with
Father Buenaventura Sit jar blessed the site for the future
San Miguel Mission. Fathers Buenaventura Sitjar and Antonio
de la Concepcion Horra were the first missionaries. The
earliest annual report of December 31, 1797, stated that a
structure of palisades roofed with mud and a house of adobe
roofed with mud had been built. In December, 1798, the report
stated that another church took the place of the temporary
structure built at the end of 1797. This, too, was of adobe
roofed with mud. Building activities resulted in dwelling
and working rooms; and in 1804, an addition was made to the
church building. In 1805, Fathers Martin and Munoz report
the making of 10,000 tiles with which some of the roofs were
covered. In 1806, on August 25, a fire destroyed some
buildings and the church roof, which was repaired temporarily
as plans were under way for the erection of a more spacious
church.44 Building activities continued for the next few
years with the construction of dwellings for the neophytes
and working rooms. In 1816, stone foundations were laid for
the fholy church.f "Tiles were made, and the pillars for the
44 Zephyrin Engelhardt, San Miguel Mission, pp. 6-10.
129
corridor, some of which, are still lacking•
Nothing more was reported until 1821, and even then
the information is only related from descendants of the
decorator of this church, which had been completed in 1818.
This work was done by Istaban Munras of Monterey in 1821
according to the report.^
Father Moreno remained in charge of spiritual affairs
until October, 1840, when Father Bamon Abella arrived and
stayed until July, 1841. In 1842, Rev. Miguel Gomez was
placed in charge of this mission. This church and San Luis
Obispo, over which Gomez was placed in June, 1841, were the
first two to be transformed into parishes under the juris
diction of the Bishop of the diocese.4’ ' 7
After secularization with its accompanying decay the
first mention of restoration is in 1886, when Father Joseph
Mut repaired the convento rafters and heavy tile roof. In
September, 1897, Father Henry S. 0TReilly arranged a. festival
for the restoration funds, renovated some apartments in the
48
main building, and plastered the outer church ana monastery.
45 Engelhardt, San Miguel Mission, p. 13.
46' Ibid., p. 25.
47 Ibid., p. 65.
4® Mrs. Fremont Older, California Missions and Their
Romances, p. 235.
Engelhardt writes that the main building with its many
4-Q
apartments was plastered and generally renovated. 1 7
In 1928, when the Franciscans again took charge,
Father Modesto "fought termites, helped put on a new roof,
and straightened and covered the ruins of the south end of
the monastery.
Study of architectural design and decoration. The
exterior of this church is notable for its lack of embellish
ment. The corridor is exceptional in that part of the sup
ports are simply square pillars supporting a lintel, while
51
the others support arches of varying axes. The chimney
is sometimes considered as a decoration. It is roofed with
six tiles, three on either side sloping toward each other
and capped with a single tile laid lengthwise.^ The door
leading into the side of the church is also described by
James as having panels with the corners cut off concavely,
(Illustration 53, page 252). The facade is broken only by
the doorway and a square-headed window and has a carved
Engelhardt, San Miguel Mission, p. 81.
50
Older, California Missions and Their Romances, p. 235.
Forbes, California Missions and Landmarks, p. 59.
52
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 317.
131
corbel in the facade gable. The window apertures in the
mission house boasts a square-headed fireplace in the center
of one wall of the living room.
The paneled door leading into the side of the nave,
(illustration 53, page £52-} uses panels with concavely
rounded corners.
The elaborately decorated interior has been mentioned
by a number of writers. James, in his description, divided
the decoration into five zones: The reredos, the ceiling,
the walls, the old pulpit, and the ancient confessional. The
ceiling is characterized by the beam; and corbel construction.
The corbels over the altar were tinted a light green and the
ceiling and rafters were pink with a leafy design in blue
53
applied to the ceiling.
James subdivides the wall decoration into three zones.
The first is that portion of the walls around the sanctuary.
This consisted of thirteen bands, alternating in green and
brown* (Illustration 54, page 253). The green panels use an
all-over naturalistic pomegranate leaf, sprig, and fruit.
The brown is a conventional design of acanthus leaves arranged
in an all-over pattern of lozenges alternating small and large
^ James., In and Out of the Old Missions, pp. 335-6.
132
rosette types. Two horizontal bands of all-over abstract
floral motifs display some bell-shaped and some circular
and petaled. The lower band is further modified by a frame
work of squares. The tyjo bands are separated by painted blue
fringe and tassels, and there is a twisted-rope border just
below the ceiling.
The second zone James labeled the "pulpit" zone since
it harbors the pulpit on one side. This decoration consists
of a series of bands in pink and shades of green, radiating
fan-wise from a green base and enclosed within a panel of
blue fluted doric columns supporting an entablature with the
typical mutules and dentils of this order and rosettes in
the frieze. The top of the column uses a profile and full
face abstract floral motif and the panels have naturalistic
55
sprays of leaves and ferns. A painted balustraded balcony
accented by acorn finials, runs on top of the entablature.^®
The choir zone is further enhanced by a conventional
leaf-and-fern pattern, and above and below the choir loft the
Greek fret is used. The choir railing has a tear-drop
spindle (Illustration 55, page 253).
54 James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 337.
55
Ibid., p. 338.
55 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches and Historic
Houses of California , p. 251.
133
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Exterior:
Corridor partly supported by lintels and partly by arches.
Decorative chimney.
Slightly rounded doorway and rectangular window in facade.
Decorated corbel in facade gable.
Rectangular windows in mission house.
Rectangular fire place.
Door panels rounded off concavely.
Interior:
Classic designs: Doric fluted columns, Greek fret,
dentils, acanthus leaf, mutules.
Designs based on vegetation:
Pomgranate leaf, sprig and fruit.
Rosettes.
Abstract floral motifs.in profile and full face.
Bell-shaped floral abstract.
Sprays of leaves.
Leaf and fern pattern.
Acorn finial.
Other designs:
Squares.
Lozenges.
Painted fringe and tassels.
Fan or shell shaped panel.
Balustrading.
Tear-drop spindel.
Colors: Blue, white, light green, pink, brown, gray.
V. SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA
Building History. July 14, 1770, was the day on
which the first mass was said on the site selected for San
Antonio de Padua. Fathers Miguel Pieras and Buenaventura
Sitjar were its first missionaries. Apparently a church of
134
some sort had been constructed by August 27, 1772, according
to the baptismal register. The first site was concluded
unsuitable shortly after this, however, and construction was
started in another place.- On November 26, 1772, Father
Palou wrote in a letter that he had visited San Antonio early
that month and found buildings of adobe with flat roofs
covered with mortar. One of the apartments, he stated,
served as a church. On December 10, 1773, Palou compiled
the first report on the California Missions and wrote con
cerning San Antonio that "A year and a half after its founding
. . . it had a church and dwellings. • . •" But, he continued,
the fathers were compelled to move the mission, and in the
new place the mission "is now with its church of adobe and flat
roof of mortar."
In 1774, the church was lengthened. Other buildings
were constructed of adobe interlaced with poles of live oak
and roofed with beams and mud. In 1776, the church was
roofed withnortar and tiles and partly with stone flags.
Building activities continued with the construction of living
and working quarters. In 1779, a building about 133 feet
long and twenty-six feet high by twenty-six feet wide was
57
Zephyrin Engelhardt, San Antonio de Padua, pp..10-11.
135
constructed with walls of adobe. It was roofed with tiles
in 1780, and constituted the church and sacristy. In 1797,
Fathers Sitjar and Cipres reported that considerable repairs
were effected in the main building, and that the main door
was opened to the church, and the side door was renewed.
In 1811, the adobe walls of the new church were raised to
the height of eight yards; and in 1812, the reports stated
that the church was nearly completed. In 1813, the church
RQ
was completed and the old church was taken dcwn. Padre
Sancho is given credit for the design of the church. Exten
sive building activities continued in the construction of
additional buildings for the next few years; and in 1821,
the reports stated that "An arch was built to the portico of
the holy church. (Italics Engelhardt’s). In 1829, build
ing activities slackened. And the last official report was
in December, 1832. After secularization the mission declined,
and no activities in the way of building were taken up until
the restoration period.
Considerable restoration was done on San Antonio, but
today the missioniis badly in need of preservation despite
58 Engelhardt, San Antonio de Padua, pp. 18-24.
59 Ibid.. pp. 27-28.
60 Ibid.. p. 41.
136
these activities, San Antonio was the first mission to be
renovated by The California Historic Landmarks League. In
1903, they reported that the chapel had fallen and the tile
A 1
was disappearing. The restoration report for 1904 stated
that tons of debris were first removed from the interior of
the chapel, and tiie great breaches in the side walls were
i
filled in. Many adobes were made for the reconstruction
work. In 1905, no work was done due to lack of funds. Again
in 1906, no work was done until the vaulted arch over the
vestibule of the chapel fell. This necessitated rebuilding
A ?
the southwest abutment of the arch. After this a break
in the west wall was reconstructed, the front gable was
rebuilt and covered, and a new roof of shingles was put over
the chapel. The report for 1907 stated that the entire roof
would have been completed but for a delay in delivery of
materials. Tiles were to be put over the wooden roof after
it was finished. The last report which Engelhardt mentioned
A ^
was in 1911, and no more work had been done since 1907.
In 1928, San Antonio was offered to the Santa Barbara
Jranciscans, who apparently were responsible for the state of
AA
preservation in which Lummis found the mission in 1929.
61 Engelhardt, San Antonio de Padua t p. 119.
62 Ibid., p. 134.
63 Ibid.. pp. 125-129.
64
Lummis, The Spanish Pioneers and the California
Missions, p. 334.
137
At present the church property is held by the Catholic Church
and is apparently not in use.
Study of architectural design and decoration. A re
production of a nineteenth century painting shows San
Antonio with essentially the same constructional design as
it has today. The projecting facade with three arched
entry, the arched aperture in the center of the facade above
the central opening, the two small tower-like structures at
either side of the facade with their round arched apertures,
the comparatively elaborate brick work and the very low
pitched roof of the chapel and the accurately designed arcade
flanking the left of the facade. A feature represented in
the nineteenth century painting shows that the arcade had
been walled up for a distance of two or three feet so that
the appearance was one of arched windows. According to this
representation the windows in the side wall of the nave are
small square-headed apertures just below the ceiling. A
traveler in 1841, Eugene de Mofras, wrote, "The architecture
of this mission is, much like that of San Luis Rey. The ample
and beautiful buildings are perfectly preserved. Mrs.
Palou, Historical Memoirs of New California, Vol. II,
p. 312.
/ !
Engelhardt, San Antonio de Padua, p. 73.
138
Forbes, however, believed that the architecture of the build
ing, especially the facade, may have been patterned after
67
San Diego. Concerning San Antoniofs comparatively elabo
rate facade, James stated:
The bricks of the cornice are stepped, there being
eight or nine layers. Then follows a double brick
cornice, the edges of the brick being molded to the
half-round. Next is a concave curve, a perpendicular
step, resting on a flat platform, followed by two more
concave curves of unequal length.68
James also observed the fact that San Antonio needed no bell
tower using the facade for this purpose. James also men
tioned the use of a distributing arch at this mission. The
arch proper was of brick, and the two distributing arches as
69
well as the wall between were of adobe. James was probably
referring to the entry in the west side wall of the nave.
Saunders in addition remarked that when he visited San
Antonio the interior had been entirely dismantled.7^ In
addition to the design features already mentioned are the
unusual window structures at this church. They are
67
Forbes, California Missions and Landmarks, p. 61.
James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 319.
69
Ibid., p. 323.
70
Charles Francis Saunders and Chase L. Smeaton,
The California Padres and Their Missions, p. 267.
139
round-arched at both top and bottom and splay into a square
aperture. The entrance doorway into the nave has a rounded
arch. The arch of the side entrance into the nave also has
the low rounded construction. The interior has the-original
field stone floor put in before the days of tile. There is
a double cornice around the ceiling. The woodwork in this
mission is all new.
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Facade: later addition to plain church.
Three-arched entry.
Curved and stepped gable.
Bells in gable and flanking towers.
String courses of brick.
Ball finials on gable.
Windows rounded top and bottom.
Double cornice around ceiling.
VI. SOLEDAD
Building history. Soledad was founded in October,
1791, by Fr. Lasuen assisted by Fr. Buenaventura Sitjar and
Fr. Diego Garcia. Records show that a church must have been
constructed by December 25, 1791; for on that date the second
Baptism took place in the Church, while the first Baptism,
which took place six weeks earlier, did not mention the
church. The first annual report was made in 1794. Fr.
Garcia and Fr. Espi stated that one half of the front wing
of the quadrangle was constructed of the "same material” and
140
the walls were built just as high and thick as those of the
71
preceding year. In 1805, Fathers Ibanez and Jayme re
ported that the church edifice had been enlarged and that
the roof had been raised and covered with tiles. -"Without
giving authorities, Bancroft asserts that in 1808 a new
church was begun. He probably misread the report of 1805.
According to a report made by Fr. Urio, formerly of Santa
Inez, in 1825, r ,The sacristy was rebuilt, which in the past
year was destroyed by floods; and all the rest has been re
paired as well as possible." This work,according to the
73
information given, was done in 1819. The 1828 report
stated that tiles and bricks were made for repairing. In
December, 1832, Fr. Sarria reported that a temporary church
had been constructed to take place of the former church which
had been washed away by floods. Engelhardt believed this to
be the structure of the ruins which still exist. In May,
1841, Governor Alvarado had all the iron and tiles removed
from the buildings to use in building one of his houses. The
7 A
remaining buildings and land he gave to the Soberanes family. *
Zephyrin Engelhardt, Mission Nuestra Senora de la
Soledad» pp. 7-9.
72
Ibid., p. 21.
73
Ibid., p. 32.
74 ., p. 46.
141
Rexford Newcomb disagreed with Engelhardt in regard to the
existing ruins. He apparently approved Bancroft's date for
the beginning of a new building in 1808. It is claimed by
some, Newcomb stated, that the existing ruins are those of
a church built by Feliciano Soberanes as late as 1850 to
replace the old building that had fallen into decay. Newcomb,
however, seems to think that any work done by the Soberanes
family was in the nature of repairs. He also stated that
Padre layme was probably the designer of the building. The
Padre, who was a native of Palma, became a Franciscan in
1774; and after one year at San Carlos was transferred to
Soledad in May, 1796.7^ In 1874, Mrs. Older stated, the roof
fell and the Soberanes family made some restoration of the
"second church.f l Since 1888, S. J. Kitzmiller has owned part
of La Soledad ranch. When he came, a niche over the doorway
76
at the entrance enclosed a statue; but this has vanished.
B’ rancis Vernon Freethy of San Francisco, in 1929, described the
ruins and gave an approximate cost of restoration.77 Father
78
William Stuhlman made attempts at restoration in 1934.
Newcomb, The Old Missions Churches and Historic
Houses of California. p. 255.
76 Older;^California Missions and Their Romances, p.203.
77 Engelhardt, Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad,
p. 36.
Older, ojd. cit., p. 204.
142
Study of architectural design and decoration. In
1829, Alfred Robinson wrote: "Although it presents a very
unpromising aspect to the traveler from the gloominess of
79
its exterior, its interior exhibits a striking contrast."'*
It might be assumed from this that there was some sort of
decoration on the interior. But whether this was in the form
of pictures and altar decorations or whether some type of
mural decoration was applied to the walls, it would be im
possible to say on such scant knowledge. Mofras, who visited
80
the mission in 1841, described it as in complete ruins.
However, some old reproductions show that there must have
been something left of the mission at the time or else it
might have been that the church had been rebuilt between the
date of Mofras1 visit in 1841 and about 1873. A reproduction
8l
of the mission" shows a typical tiled roof adobe with its
only embellishment in the form of a square-headed entry in
the facade and one square-headed window in the left side of
the church. The mission house along the side has one round-
arched doorway. The other windows and doors are square-headed.
79 Engelhardt, Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad,
p. 36.
80 . .
Ibid., p. 45.
81 0. C. Pierce Print Ho. 11133.
op
A reproduction of about 1886 again shows the round-arched
door in the mission house,and the other doors have wooden
lintels which continue in a horizontal band similar to deco
ration at San Rafael. A reproduction of a Vischer etching
dated June 26, 1873,8^ shows the typical pitched tile roof.
The doors and windows are apparently all square-headed with
the exception of one round-headed or arched entry into the
mission house, which incidentally was corridored without any
arcading.
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Possibly some sort of decoration on interior.
Square-headed entry.
One square-headed window in church.
One round-arched doorway in mission house.
Wooden lintels continuing in horizontal band.
Mission house corridored but no arcade.
VII. SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
Building history. Fr. Presidente Lasuen, who had
founded San Jose on June 11, 1797, founded San Juan
Bautista on June 24 the same year. The first missionaries
were Fr. Martiarena and Fr. Martinez. Temporary structures
were started immediately.8^ By December 31, 1797, an adobe
82 C. G. Pierce Print No. 111866.
83 C. C. Pierce Print No. 7272.
^ Eephyrin Engelhardt, San Juan Bautista. pp. 4-5.
144
chapel had been erected. The roof was probably of tiles.
Other buildings for dwellings and workshops were constructed
at the same time. On October 31, 1800, there was an earth
quake; but the consequences were not mentioned. In 1801, the
work continued and tiles were made to cover all the builds
ings.86 On June 24, 1803, the corner stone for the new
church was laid. Fr. Viader from Santa Clara assisted in the
ceremonies on that day. In 1804, Fr. Dulanto replaced Fr.
Martiarena. In 1806, Fathers Iturrate and Dulanto reported
that the quadrangle was completed. In 1809, Fathers Iturrate
and de la Cuesta reported that the three naves of the temple
were completed. The two side naves must have been an after
thought, for it is known that the church for which the corner
stone was blessed and laid measured but ten varas or about
thirty feet in width, while the side naves swell this measure
ment.86 The report for December 31, 1811, stated that the
church had been roofed during that year. And during the
year 1812, the church was completed and dedicated according
87
to the report of Fathers Ullibarri and de la Cuesta. During
the year 1816, among many other additions f , The walls were
Engelhardt, San Juan Bautista t p. 7.
86 Ibid., p. 11.
Ibid., p. 12.
145
painted for two side altars,f l reported Fathers Tapis and
Dp
La Guesta. ° During this year the church was also paved
with brick tiles. From November, 1817, until October, 1923,
Joaquin Soto was mayor domo of the establishment. In 1825,
the ascent and stairs to the sanctuary of the church were
repaved with brick tiles.89 The last report was on December
31, 1832. San Juan Bautista was never without a pastor and
did not suffer from being dismantled to the extent that some
of the other missions were.90 In 1906, however, a wall of
one building fell out. In 1865, Reverend Ciprian Rubio
succeeded the post of secular priest at this church. He had
erected a tower of two stories plus a belfry.91 In 1908,
a Fiesta was held and with donations received from the Native
Sons and an anonymous benefactor Father Closa was enabled to
roof the church, fortify the walls, and hold services in the
old building. An annual pageant and barbecue is given in
June to raise funds for restoration.92
88 Engelhardt, San Juan Bautista t p. 29.
89 IbicL. , p.36.
90 Ibid., p. 105.
91 Ibid., p. 108.
92 older., California Missions and Their Romances.
p. 224.
146
Study of architectural design and decoration. In
1835, Antonio Buelna and Jose Castro made an inventory of
the mission which was countersigned by Rev. Fraile Jose
Anzar. According to this the ceiling was of planed boards
Q 3
and the floor of burnt brick. A sketch made by Edward
Vischer in 1842 shows the church without the tower. The
facade is relieved by three entries all round-arched and the
center one larger than the other two. There is a square
window in the facade.94 The arcaded mission house flanks
the facade on the left, and on the right is visible a portion
of the building which is set back and is lighted by a square-
headed window. An etching by Ford in 1883 shows essentially
the same features which were noted in the Vischer etching.
However, clearly visible in this etching are the cornice
line which divides the facade in half, the round-arched
triple entry resting on pillars, and the low arches, heavy
posts, and bases which comprised the arcaded corridor built
in lean-to fashion to the mission house.95 Mrs. Forbes,
in 1903, wrote that the nave was subdivided by seven arches,
95 Older, California Missions and Their Romances,
p. 137.
94 G. C. Pierce Print No. 7275.
95 O.'C. Pierce Print No. 5730.
147
five of them walled in. The walls and ceiling were white
washed, and there was a choir loft over the entrance door.
The church was lighted with eight small windows paned with
glass. The chapel had a dome and tower, Mrs. Forbes stated,
but after the dome fell a steeple was put up. fTThe walls of
San Juan were allowed to retain the delicate tint of the
cinnabar that so frequently colored the mortar and left the
glow that no after-tinting or staining can imitate.96 George
Wharton James noted the small windows, four on each side al
most at the top of the walls, and the cornice which ran the
whole length of the building. Here and there James discovered
mural decorations in brownish red, green, and light green.97
Over the heavy doors of the baptistry rose a half-circular
arch,98 and the square entry into the sacristy was pointed
and curved on the inside." Besides the features already
mentioned, the doorways at San Juan Bautista are character
ized by a round arch with an extremely heavy entablature as
seen in Illustration 37, page 243 . This doorway is to be seen
96 Forbes, California Missions and Landmarks, p. 73.
97 James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 237.
98 ibid., p. 238.
99 Ibid., p. 324.
148
on either side of the altar and the two doorways which lead
into the baptistry and into the small vestry on the opposite
side of the church. The doors in every case are square-
headed and fit into a square jam, and on the opposite side
of the door is a deeply recessed and splayed arch of the
Moorish type. A stream of life design may be seen in one of
the doors leading into the baptistry from the inner quadrangle,
while the doors leading from the nave into the baptistry and
vestry are grilled at the top with four spool-turned posts
while the bottom is paneled. G-rille work may also be seen at
the small window which lights the vestry (Illustration 59,
page 255). Illustration 58, page 255, shows a shutter found
in the mission museum. The design in this shutter is one
seen in other missions and is a panel with a lozenge in the
center and four triangular pieces carved in to fill the
corners. The main entry doors are obviously not of the mission
period, which is true also of the tower with its Georgian in
fluence, especially in the fan-lighted windows. However, the
arcading, the recessed facade window with projecting sill
above, and the cornice molding dividing the facade as well as
the three-arched entry are all features of the mission period.
In addition there is a photograph taken of a wall
decoration by George Wharton James, which he claimed belonged
149
to this mission (Illustration 56, page £54). As stated in
a previous chapter, this decoration is almost identical to
a border design viewed by the writer in the San Luis Rey
Mission Church. Mr. C. C. Pierce suggested that the labeling
of this photograph might have been an error on the part of
Mr. Jame s.
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Exterior:
Three round-arched entries.
Rectangular facade window.
Cornice dividing facade in half.
Arcade using very low pillars.
Interior church:
Small clerestory windows.
Walls tinted with cinnabar.
Mural decorations in brownish red, green, and light
green.
Doorways:
Serpentine or stream of life.
Turned wooden grilling in upper panels.
Shutter: Lozenge and triangle motifs.
Turned wooden grille at window.
CHAPTER IV
THE MISSIONS OF THE BAY AREA
Of the seven missions of this area five were around
the San Francisco Bay and the other two were on the Bays of
Monterey and Carmel. Of the seven, four have been completely
obliterated, and one other might almost be considered as
obliterated, since the building on the site now has been
restored several times; but fortunately the last time ac
cording to the original design. This leaves only San Carlos
Borromeo and San Francisco de Asis with any appreciable
material for study as far as design is concerned. For the
others, old records and pictures have been consulted— with
considerable success in regard to Santa Clara, whose final
destruction was in the early part of the twentieth century.
The missions of the Bay Area, then, have proved the most
barren in their yield of design motifs.
I. SAN CARLOS BORROMEO
Building history. San Carlos was dedicated June 3,
1-770, and building activities were begun soon after, the
first structures being of poles, twigs, and branches with
perhaps mud roofs. By the end of 1771, Serra had succeeded
in having erected a chapel and a few necessary dwellings.
151
According to Palou these first permanent buildings were of
wood and had flat roofs.1 In 1776, however, Fr. Font
described the mission church as being constructed of tules.
There were at this time some adobe constructions as well.2
In 1773, Palou wrote of the , T adobe church. . . with mud
covered roof., T Captain George Vancouver, who was in
Monterey between November, 1792 and January, 1793, wrote
that some of the neophytes at this mission "were employed
at this time under the directions of the fathers in building
4 5
a church with stone and mortar." Letters of Fr. Lasuen
who had placed the first stone for a new church on July 7,
1793, corroborate Vancourver’s statement. On January 3,
1795, he wrote that a stone mason, Manuel Ruiz, had been
hired to construct the natives at the Presidio and when there
was no work there he went to San Carlos. By the end of 1796,
Fr. Lasuen in the biennial report wrote that the church had
been roofed and covered with tiles, and the workmen were
finishing the whitewashing of the interior. The flooring of the
1 Zephyrin Engelhardt, San Carlos Borromeo, p. 33.
£ Ibid., p. 49.
3 Ibid., p. 56.
4 Ibid., p. 112.
5 Ibid., p. 113.
152
vestry and the tower had not been completed at this date, but
the‘church was dedicated in September, 1797. In 1801, the
walls of the church had been raised about a yard, .and a stone
0
buttress was put up to strengthen the front wall. In 1814,
the vaulted ceiling of San Carlos Borromeo was removed.and a
ceiling of planks was substituted. This year also marked the
completion of the quadrangle at this church.7 In 1817, a
•chapel.was built'contiguous to the church.® '
In regard to the building of the stone chapel Frances
Rand Smith wrote that Fathers Crespi and Serra, who were
probably largely responsible for the design, had both had
considerable experience in Sierra Gorda in the construction of
San Francisco church, which was of stone. And, furthermore,
Serra had been in charge of building a large stone church
at Jalpan.9 Mrs. Smith also studied the many reports written
by travelers in which it is learned that the windows which
opened upon the court were all heavily barred with iron ac
cording to Ruschenberger, who visited San Carlos in
Engelhardt, San Carlos Borromeo, p. 116.
7 Ibid., p. 139.
8 Xbjjd- > P- 141 •
9 Frances Rand Smith, The Architectural History of
Mission San Carlos Borromeo, p. 24.
153
1836.^ The first attempts at restoration, after a long
period of decline, were merely in attempting to locate the
body of Father Serra among the ruins of the stone church.
As a result of interest aroused by the opening of Del Monte
in 1884, the walls were rebuilt and a new roof placed on the
church. The new roof line was, however, twelve or more feet
higher than the older one because it was at a greater
11
pitch. The church has been reconstructed since that period,
and now is in keeping with the old lines.
' Study of architectural design and decoration. Rexford
Newcomb described the facade of this church, which recalled
the original vaulted roof by a circular pediment pierced by
a star window and crowned by a pedestal (Illustration 60,
page 256). The main portal Newcomb believed to be less
1 p
interesting than other doorways in this mission. The en
tablature, however, seems to be an original inventive detail
of the designer. It consists of two friezes of carved
oblorgs supporting a cornice with basket-shaped finials ap
plied to either end.
10 Smith, The-'Architectural History of Mission San
Carlos Borromeo, p. 32.
- 11 Ibid., p. 41.
Hexford Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches and
Historic Houses of California , p. 265.
154
Newcomb, however, found the two towers at either
side of the facade an interesting feature. The left tower
consists of two stories, a drum, and a dome. The lower
story contains the baptistry and is pierced by a window not
visible in the facade. The second story, "consisting of
heavy stone walls, pierced by arches,supported the
octagonal drum, which in turn carried the egg-shaped dome,
surmounted by a large finial and the cross. Pointed finials
were to be seen at the four corners of the tower and the
eight corners of the drum. The tower on the right was much
smaller, had no dome, but a finial; and had fewer apertures,
and contained spiral stair to the choir. The door (Illustra
tion 61, page £56) is a reconstruction but uses typical
lozenge-decorated panels and plagues with the corners
rounded off concavely.
Newcomb wrote concerning the construction of this
church that it was the only example of a roof carried on
stone arches. It was originally supported by three stone
arches spanning the nave. "The walls were reinforced by
exterior buttresses and were thickened at the top to reduce
the span and to make a more graceful transition to the
arches.
13 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches» p. 265.
14 rbid•, p. 82.
155
The nave was divided into five bays by three pilas
ters and a low arch at the choir end of the building, sup
ported by a magnificently carved corbel. A Doric entabla
ture was the decorative element used just below the ceiling,
consisting of typical mutules and dentiles. The walls of
the nave are further relieved by square-headed windows and
some interesting carved doorways leading into baptistry,
chapel, mission court, pulpit, and sacristy.
The doorway into the baptistry is arched and framed
by pilasters having an unusual baroque channel with a hook
or scroll at the bottom. The door itself now has an elabo- . „ ■
rately grilled lunette, frame, and double doors. But it is
the inner construction of this chapel that is of particular
interest because of its design— unusual in a mission church.
Four clustered pillars supported the ribbed "Gothic" ceil
ing. The baptistry was an irregular octagon with quarter-
engaged columns in Doric style standing in the corners. The
simple capitals served as abaci from which sprang the ribs.^
The chapel on the left of the nave had an elaborately
decorated doorway. The designer, Newcomb reasoned, must
have had some knowledge of the Doric order and the carving
15 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 26.
156
showed skill in execution. The moldings were combinations
of classic and Gothic forms.^ Newcomb is in some doubt
concerning the period when this doorway was built. The
chapel was built between 1811-1820, but the doorway may
have been one constructed at the time of building, which led
to the exterior before the construction of the chapel. "If
built at the same time as the nave, and all internal evidence
points to this conclusion, the door can be attributed to the
mason Ruiz."17 The interior of the chapel had one small .
window with curving;lines, which Mrs. Smith believed may
1 o
have represented a halo. The wall was decorated in squares
divided diagonally into a white half and a green half. A
19
brilliant red border ran on top of this frieze. Further
decoration on this wall consisted of a prayer written in
. , 20
Spanish.
16 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 265.
17 Ibid., p. 26.
18 Smith, The Architectural History of Mission San
Carlos Borromeo, p. 57.
19 . .
Harrie Rebecca Piper Forbes, California Missions
and Landmarks and How to Get There, p. 66.
^ C. F. Saunders and J. Smeaton Chase, The Calif
ornia Padres and Their Missions, p. 296.
157
Another door which led from the left wall of the nave
into the mission court is said to be ornamented with sand
stone carvings taken from the priests1 quarters during the
1884 restoration projects.2- ® - The door leading into the
pulpit used the same design (serpentine) as that found on
the main doorway at San Fernando. Mrs. Smith believed it
probable that the designer who worked at San Carlos worked
PP
also at San Fernando. The writer, however, believes this
a hazardous analogy until further evidence points more con
clusively to such a statement, since .several of the missions
have similar designs on the doors and shutters.
George Wharton James noted the elliptical arch with
its corresponding elliptical cornice over the doorway leading
from the altar to the sacristy, and "its renascence scroll
and conventionalized design of the entablature of which the
prz
egg-and-dart pattern is the chief feature.” ^
The altar of the church, Mrs. Smith noted, was ap
proached by well-proportioned steps running the width. of
p A
the building and the spacious arch on the rear wall.
21 Smith, The Architectural History of Mission San
Carlos Borromeo, p. 58.
1*°° * cit.
23
George Wharton James, In and Out of the Old
Missions, p. 325.
?4
Smith, loc. cit.
158
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Facade:
Circular pediment.
Star window.
Curved pedestal.
Hound-arched doorway with applied pilasters and
entablature.
Frieze using oblong decorations.
Flanking towers:
Two-storied.
Octagonal drum and egg-shaped dome.
Pointed finials-.
Round-headed apertures in towers.
Interior:
Five bays divided by Doric pilasters and arch resting
on corbel.
Doric entablature.
Egg-and-dart.
Dentils.
Mutule s.
Pilaster with channel ending in scroll or hook.
Four clustered pillars supporting ribbed ceiling.
Square-headed windows.
Curving lines on chapel window (perhaps representing a.
halo).
Elliptical arched doorway.
Round-arched doorway.
Serpentine design.
Squares divided into a white half and a green half by
a diagonal line.
Spanish prayer painted on wall.
II. SANTA CRUZ
Building history. Father Lasuen said Mass and raised
a cross on the spot selected for Santa Cruz Mission on
August 28., 1791. Building was delayed for a time until all
the Indians were together so that they might be taught the
159
"rudiments of building."25 The temporary structures of
palisades including a church were soon erected. On February
£7, 1793, a corner-stone of the new church was laid on higher
land. Adobe brick and redwood were used in the construction
of the church, which took a little more than a year to build.
"The front was of masonry, the foundation walls up to three
feet were of stone, and the balance of adobe."25 The church
was dedicated in May, 1794. In 1795, the last two sides of
the quadrangle were completed. The rainy season in 1797 and
a violent storm in 1799 necessitated a great deal of re
building.2^ The founders, Fathers Salazar and Lopez, served
until duly, 1795, and July, 1796, respectively. Other
missionaries followed in quick succession. The earthquake
of January, 1840, damaged the church tower. Visitors to
this site in succeeding years found the mission merely a
melancholy site. In 1850, Ernest de Massey found that the
O Q
mission was no longer standing. In 1857, a severe earth
quake "crumbled the front wall of the mission building
proper." Less than a month later the southwest corner of
25 h . A. van Golnen Torchiana, History of Santa
Cruz Mission, p. 188.
26 Ibid., p. 193.
87 Ibid.. pp. 194-195.
28 Ibia., P. 376.
160
the "old edifice" fell.
After the 1857 earthquake, plans were started to re
construct the building. The structure was built by Santa
Cruz builders and did not pretend to mission design. The
old mission buildings which were left after the earthquake
were used as a store house. Complete destruction was spared
for a time by the addition of redwood roof and walls, but
the buildings eventually gave way to a modern church.2^
Study of architectural design and decoration. A
painting of Santa Cruz Mission as it probably was about
1794-99'-'^ shews it to be a typical mission construction
with a pitched tile roof, a round-arched entry resting on
pillars, a round facade window, above which is apparently a
triangular light. An unusual bell-tower projects from the
facade just to the left of the entry and reaches about two
thirds of the way up the wall of the facade. The roof of
the tower is hipped in front and built flush to the facade
in the back. Three round-arched apertures for bells are the
only other embellishment to the tower. The mission house
projecting to the side has a corridor with pillars supporting
the tile roof. A Yischer drawing from Yallejo collection
2 9 Torchiana, History of Santa Cruz Mission, p. 390.
30 c. C. Pierce Print No. 11478.
161
shows the building as it was about 1828,31 showing a simple
facade without a tower. There is apparently a round window
above the entry. - The mission house is corridored and has
posts supporting the roof, while the doors and windows appear
to be square-headed. A painting of probably about 1833
(dated by comparison with the Ford etching of 1833) shows a
tile roofed structure.
Posts uphold the corridor of the mission house and
a railing runs between the posts. The doors and windows
of the mission house are rectangular-headed. The facade is
relieved by a round-headed doorway with flanking pilasters
supporting a simple entablature and another order of pillars
supporting a cornice line. The facade is buttressed on
either side. There is a two-storied tower at the right with
the top part composed of a skeleton of post-work upholding
32
a domed roof. (Illustration 58, page 255 ). The second
story of the tower has round-headed windows, and the rec
tangular windows of the church are grilled. A reproduction
of a painting made by Mrs. Josephine Bishop after the earth-
33
quake of 1857 shows the interior of the church. The
3^ G. G. Pierce Print No. 10104.
3 2 c. G. Pierce Print No. 1178 compared with re
production of Ford etching of 1833--Pierce Print No. 5736.
33 G. G. Pierce Print No. 7734.
162
ceiling’s beams and a ceiling board were painted in chevrons
of several tones. The chevrons were pointed in an opposite
direction on every other beam and around the ceiling board
pointed from right to left. The altar rail appears to be
wooden, and the heavy newell posts have large ball finials.
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Facade: (1794-1799).
Hound-arched entry resting on pilasters.
Bound facade window.
Triangular light.
Bell^tower projecting from facade and below roof line.
Tower has hipped roof and circular-headed arches.
Mission house flanking was corridored.
Facade: (c 1833)
Round-arched doorway with flanking pilasters supporting
simple- entablature.
Superimposed order of pilasters supports cornice line.
Rectangular facade window.
Buttresses on either side of facade.
Two-storied tower with dome and round-headed apertures.
Stands free of church.
Rectangular grilled windows in church.
Mission house flanks; corridored and supported by posts
with railing running between.
Rectangular windows and doors in mission house.
Interior:
Ceiling beams and boards painted in chevrons of several
tones.
Wooden altar rail— heavy newell posts with large ball
finials.
III. SANTA CLABA
163
Building history. First holy mass was said on the
site selected for this mission on January IB, 1777. Father
Muguia is generally given credit for being designer of the
first building.^ In 1781, a new site was selected for
the mission, and the second church was dedicated in May,
1784. This, second structure designed by Murguia was said
to be the finest of its kind in California up to the time
35
of its building. In 1812, an earthquake caused considera
ble damage; and in 1822, the shock was so severe that it was
36
decided to build the mission on a new site. This church
(the third) was dedicated on August 11, 1922. It was the
3
work of Father Jose Viader, assisted by Don Ignacio Alviso.
Eugene Sawyer writes that a new mission church was comple ted
in 1825-26. The decay of the adobe led the missionaries to
face the church with wood. Two towers were erected and the
facade was painted "ina rude fashion with biblical scenes
34 Trowbridge Hall, California Trails, Intixnate Guide
to the Old Missions, p. 195.
35 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches% p. 295.
36 Frederick Hall, The History of San Jose» p. 423.
37 t P- 79 •
164
intended to attract the eye of the aboriginal, while within
38
were the tableaux and allegorical pictures. Being 1884
and 1885, the old structure was replaced by a new frame
building. The interior of this building was a replica of
39
the former and the ceiling of the sanctuary was the same.
Fire partially destroyed the building in 1913, and again
in 1926. The church at Santa Clara today is an entirely
new building.^
Study of architectural design and decoration at
Santa Clara. The facade of this mission was broken by a
rectangular window, and further decorated by an elaborate
scheme of painted decoration (Illustration 63, page 258).^
The doorway was crowned by a bold entablature resting on
marbleized Corinthian-inspired columns and supporting at
either end a painted vase containing a mixed bouquet. Dir
ectly above this is a painted device representing a niche
with a saint supported by a pedestal and flanked by columns
and conspicuous flemish scrolls on either side. The painted
Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County,
p. 37.
39 Ibid., p. 279.
Mrs. Fremont Older, California Missions and Their
Romances, p. 141.
41 C. C. Pierce.Print No. 8691.
165
pedestal of the niche had two heavy a corn-shaped pendants
hanging from either end. In the gable of the facade was
painted the triangle and all-seeing-eye-of-God with emanat
ing rays.
On either side of the doorway were a pair of painted
Corinthian columns supporting an entablature and pediment
consisting of a circle flanked by scrolls; and framing
pedestaled figures.
Some attempt was made at decorating the crude* frame
tower with its round-headed apertures, double gallery, and
domed lantern. Neatly turned finials probably capped the
four corners of the tower. Two are visible, and the panels
around the base of the lantern have some central motif which
appears to be a rosette or star shape.
The mission house which may be seen in this illustra
tion reveals the typical lean-to roof to be found here
supported by posts.
Illustration 65, page 260,^ is a view of the old
ceiling at Santa Clara. The decoration consists of painted
clouds and stars with floating figures of saints, angels,
and cherubs. The central motif is the Greek symbol for
Jesus surrounded by a circle of angelsf heads. Some of the
42 C. C. Pierce Print No. 11386.
166
angels carry banners displaying printed holy-words in
Spanish. At one end is barely visible a group of onlookers
viewing the scene. These appear to be three men around a
table; at either corner are other human figures. One seems
to be a man and the other a woman. Davila Agustin is said
43
to have painted the ceiling some time in the 1830fs.
Illustration 64, page 259 , is a photograph from, the
Pierce collection,44 and is labeled as a wall painting from
this mission. The design is apparently a continuous border
pattern and consists of a garland of leaves interlaced into
a guilloche with a garland of flowers. The flowers, which
are highly stylized, are bell-shaped and have three sections
similar to a conventionalized tulip. The leaves are a stem
formation with projecting points. In the circular panel
formed by interlacing are sprays of two or three conven-
alized daisies.
In addition to these photographs there is the informa
tion given by George Wharton James,45 in which he stated
43 The files of the Index of American Design from
Southern California contain a letter from the Rev. Arthur
D. Spearman S. J. of Loyola University, Los Angeles, in
which Is found the above statement.
44 C. C. Pierce Print No. 4458.
4§ James, In and Out of the Old Missions, p. 341.
167
that the wainscot line was set off with the sinuous body of
the serpent. Saunders added that "a startling band', of
decoration upon the walls in festoons of red, green, and
blue, after the Indian mode, were all that I noted as giving
any mission flavor to the interior.”46
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Facade:
Round-headed doorway and rectangular window.
Corinthian columns.
Entablatures.
Flemish scroll.
Pedestaled niches.
Saints.
Acorn-shaped pendants.
Vases with flowers.
Triangle and eye-of-God.
Tower:
Round-headed apertures, double gallery, domed lantern.
Central motif in panels (perhaps rosette or star).
Turned finials.
Mission house: Corridored, lean-to roof on posts.
Sanctuary ceiling:
Painted cloud, -stars.
Saints, angels, cherubs.
Symbol I. H. S. surrounded by angels1 heads.
Banners displaying printed words.
46 Saunders and Chase, The California Padres and
Their Missions» p. 340.
168
Scene: Three onlookers around table--at either end- a
figure.
Other wall paintings:
Interlaced guilloche of leaves and flowers (high
stylization).
Stylized daisy central motif.
Wainscot line set off with body of serpent.
Festoons of red, green, and blue.
IV. SAN JOSE DE GUADALUPE
Building history. The Mission of San Jose was
established in June, 1797, by Lasuen. The first chapel
made of adobe with a tile roof remained until 1835.47 In
1809, a new church of chalk-stone was completed. This re
placed the older wooden structure. Padre Arroyo de la Cuesta
was in charge of affairs during the building of the church
and is conceded by Newcomb and others to be the designer.^8
The church building was badly injured in the years 1812 and
1822 by earthquakes. Frailes Narcisco Duran and
Buenaventura Fortunis carried on the church building. In
1859, Father Julianus Federy had the buttresses removed and
the windows enlarged. In 1868, the earthquake destroyed the
church beyond repair, and a new frame building was erected
in its place.^
Hall, The History of San Jose, p. 89.
Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 299.
^ Hall, ££. cit.t p. 440.
170
the interior and a small niche for an image over the door
way.^4
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Facade:
Pillared doorway with triangular pediment and niche.
Facade window apparently added.
Bell-tower incorporated in facade under main roof.
Mission house flanking: corridored with lean-to roof
on posts with simple undecorated corbels at top.
Dormer windows.
V. SAN FRANCISCO J)E AS IS
Building history. June 29, 1776, was the founding
date for the Mission of San Francisco. The first building
plans were drawn up by Jose Canizares, the first pilot of
the San Carlos. Fraile Palou wrote that the first perma
nent chapel was blessed on October 3, 1776. The structure
was of wood plastered with clay and roofed with tile s.^6
The corner-stone for a new church was laid on April 25,
1782, by Father Palou. In 1787, Fages visited San Francisco,
which he said had but an apology for a church. In 1792 and
1793, Captain G-eroge Vancouver visited the mission and spoke
of the church in very satisfactory terms even inferring that
51? Older, California Missions and Their Romances,
p. 208.
Zephyrin Engelhardt, San Francisco or Mission
Dolores, p. 51.
rbod., p. 55.
169
Study of architectural design and decoration. One
of the earliest pictorial reproductions, Illustration 66,
page 261,50 shows the church with its pitched-tile roof,
pillared doorway with triangular pediment, and unusual bell-
tower incorporated as a part of the facade under a projec
tion of the main roof. This photograph shows no facade
window. A photograph dated 1865?^ reveals the building
practically unchanged with the exception of the addition of
a facade window, and large pointed Gothic windows replace
the heavy buttresses in the side walls. Representations
dated 1867 and 1869 show the mission house to have square
headed doors and windows and a corridor whose tile roof
rested upon posts with simple undecorated corbels at the
top.52
In addition to features already mentioned an etching
made in 1883 by Ford^ (probably of some old drawing or photo
since the church had been replaced by this time) reveals
dormer windows set into the tile roof of the mission house.
In addition the church had admirable mural decorations on
50 c. G. Pierce Print No. 979.
51 C. C. Pierce Print No. 7714.
52 C. C. Pierce Prints No. 1807 and Ho-. 41S3.
53 C. G. Pierce Print No. 5731.
171
the church edifice had been decorated.57 There is further
evidence to believe that a new church was completed before
58
1791. It might be assumed from this that the church
started in 1782 had been either greatly improved between
the visits of Fages in 1787 and Vancouver in 179B, or it
was two entirely different churches that the two men saw
and described, or the two men had simply made different es
timates as to the condition of the church if it was the same
one. The official report of December, 1798, stated that
work on the church was continued so as to close up the
q u a d r a n g l e, ancj ± n psiO Fathers Abel la and Lucio wrote
that the interior of the church had been "very much adorned."
From the descriptions of objects following this statement
the adornment was apparently in the form of movable religious
objects such as pictures and statuary.5^ Lieutenant Camille
de Roquefeuil visited San Francisco in August, 1817, and
was told that -the furniture was the work of one of the
Kodiaks (Alaska Indian). He found the church in good order
and handsomely decorated, but whether he was referring to
57 Engelhardt, San Francisco or Mission Dolores,
pp. 111-115.
5 8 I b i d . , p. 117.
59 Ibid.. p. 136.
60 ibid., p. 145.
172
the movable ohurch objects or decoration which was a part
of the building would be difficult to say.61 San Francisco
was one of the first missions to be confiscated in 1834.6^
The period of secularization and then sale of mission lands
brought decay to this mission before it was returned in
April, 1857, to the Catholic missionaries.63
This church did not suffer from the quake of 1812.
In 1903, attempts were made to restore the s a n c t u a r y .64
The 1906 earthquake also left the mission undamaged. In
1917; an architect was engaged to undertake restoration
work. At this time interior walls were redecorated, but
the original ceiling paint was left. Wrought iron rails re
place the one of wood and an iron rail was installed in the
gallery. New glass was set in the windows and a rough cement
coating took the place of clapboards.63
Study of architectural design and decoration. The
double-ordered facade has been described by a number of
writers. The four columns below and the six pilasters above
61 Engelhardt, San Francisco or Mission Dolores, p. 161.
62 Ibid., p. 236.
63 Ibid., p. 349.
ft A
Older, California Missions and Their Romances,
p. 108.
65 Ibid., p. 109.
173
are undecorated with the exception of molded capitals and
bases, and pyramidal-shaped finials atop the upper order.
Newcomb believed the original roof line had been raised and
this would account for the triangular space between the top
of the columns and the present roof line (Illustration 67,
page 262). The lower columns rest on a high podium. The
facade, which incorporates the bells, is further enhanced by
a round-arched doorway with round cornice, and pilasters sup
porting the arch. Just below the central window is a plaque
using the curved lines to be seen in mission pediments and
pedestals. A cornice line separates the columns from the
pilasters. The upper half of the facade is pierced with a
central rectangular bell aperture flanked by two round-h
headed apertures between the second and third pilaster from
either side of the facade. A carved decoration may be seen
between the upper pilasters and may be a part of the original
roof line.as Newcomb suggests.^6 There is a railing across
the facade just above the four columns. This is not the
original railing since for many years none existed, but is
in keeping with the original idea as seen in early drawings
of the church. The reconstructed wooden doors have the same
type of paneling as that found at San Miguel. This is the
Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 294.
174
panel with concavely curved corners.
The windows on the side walls of the church are rec
tangular for the most part with heavy wooden lintels.
Apparently, beam ends project slightly from the walls about
a foot below the eaves. Heavy buttresses are another ex
terior feature of this church.
On the interior the windows are rounded at top. The
nave walls are comparatively plain with the exception of
windows, a baptistry niche, and the original old baptistry
doors. The ceiling beams mentioned by other writers are
painted in zig-zag chevron or stripes of white, pale grayish
blue, terra-cotta red, and dull orange. Every other beam is
painted with the chevrons pointing in the opposite direction.
The ceiling boards between the beams have been painted in
squares divided diagonally into a red and a white half. The
red half is always closest to the altar in these panels.
There is a round arch dividing the nave from the sanc
tuary. It is supported by square marbleized pilasters
standing on high plinths. The arch itself has been carved
out of wood and the under portion decorated with chevons.
The spaces on either side of the archway on the nave side
have been decorated with a florid acanthus leaf ornamentation
which is space filling. The cross, the Greek symbol for
Jesus, and a pineapple motif are used in the left space
175
(south) and on the right (north) the symbol of Mary (an M
and an A) with a orown above them. The other side of the
archway (nearest the altar) uses a cross in the south space
and the wine goblet and grapes in the north space. This
design seems akin in execution to the one over the main
entrance at San Luis Obispo.
The original baptistry doors consist of three panels
on either side. These have beveled edges but are flush
with the frame of the door. Doorways in the sanctuary are
round-arched and have a rectangular plaque carved out behind
the arch. A line has been incised in the ceiling just below
the corbels.
In 1875, Mrs. Hughes wrote of "a spirited fresco,
the work of some artist priest,"®^ occupied part of one side
of the building. This has apparently been obliterated since
that time— perhaps in the 1917 restoration. Perhaps it will
be rediscovered some day as old wall paintings in some of the
other missions have been.
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Facade:
Double order--six applied columns superimposed on cornice
supported by four lower free-standing columns.
(Perhaps could be called Homan Doric order).
Mrs. - Elizabeth Hughes, The California of the Pad
res or Footprints of Ancient Communism, p. 6.
176
Hound-arched doorway and cornice.
Plaque with concavely rounded corners.
Rectangular window.
One rectangular and two round-headed hell apertures.
Doors use concavely cornered panels.
Hailing.
Exterior: (exclusive of facade)
Rectangular windows with heavy wooden lintels.
Beam ends projecting beneath eaves.
Heavy buttresses.
Interior:
Windows rounded at top.
Ceiling beams painted in chevrons of white, pale
grayish blue, terra-cotta red, and dull orange.
Ceiling boards painted with squares divided diagonally
into a red and a white half.
Hound arch between nave and sanctuary with space filling
acanthus leaf design and the following devices:
The Greek symbol for Jesus, cross, and pineapple motif.
The symbol for Mary (an M and an A) with crown above.
Maltese cross.
Wine goblet and grapes.
Doors with panels beveled and flush with frame.
Round-arched with rectangular portion carved back to
frame arch.
Incised line in walls just below corbels.
VI. SAM RAFAEL
Building history. On December 14, 1817, an
assistencia or missionary ranch having a chapel, baptistry,
and cemetery under the patronage of St. Raphael the Arc-
angel was f o u n d e d .68 Father Gil, who was in charge, soon
68 Zephyrin Engelhardt, San Francisco or Mission
Dolores, p. 43£.
17??
had erected a building which served, as a chapel.69 in
1823, the establishment was recognized as a separate mission.
At the time of secularization considerable property was
distributed among the Indians. In 1846, Fremont took pos
session of the mission. After he left, it seems to have
been unoccupied and has new entirely disappeared.•
Study of architectural design and decoration. The
Vischer drawing of 1831^-*- represents the church with a
pointed-arch doorway, a square-headed window above, and a
triangular ceiling light above this. The roof is pitched
and tile, and the corridors of the mission house, which ran
alongside of the church forming an L, seeurto be supported
on poles. The doors and windows of the mission house appear
square-headed; however, the drawing is faint and it is not,
therefore, definitely descernible. A later Vischer sketch
shows the one-story building with a square-headed doorway
in this case and three square-headed windows in the side.
A steeple is shown in this sketch on the gable of the roof
^9 Older, California Missions and Their Romances,
p. 285.
Alfred Robinson, Life in California Before the
Conquest, p. 293.
^ C. C. Pierce Print Mo. 10105.
178
just above the entry. It is square and apparently domed
with four round-headed apertures, only two of which are
visible. The material is not discernible from this sketch,
but it is either painted or plastered, and the roof looks
shingled but may have been tiled. A Ford etching of 1883
shows the pitched tile roof of this mission with the gable
of the mission building breaking into the gable of the
church. The doorway is square while the door is rounded.
The space between has been filled in. The material is un-
discernible, but the corridor in front of the mission house
is shown supported by pillars with square bases and square
capitals. Two star windows, one above the other, embellish
the facade above the doorway. A reproduction of a painting
from the Pierce^ collection shows a single star window over
the doorway with its projecting molding. The paneled door
in this case seems to be square-headed. Square posts sup
port the corridor roof in this painting, and the doors and
windows of the mission house appear to be square-headed.
Trowbridge Hall was not very enthusiastic over the
decorations of this church, which, he said, like most of
those in Northern California never was much to look at and
was decorated more or less ,in-a tawdry unpleasant style
72 C. C. Pierce Print No. 1768.
179
73
often seen in the poorer churches of Spain. Newcomb, m
his volume published in 1925, gave a more elaborate descrip
tion of- this mission. The simple facade, he said, was
flanked by a portico with squared wooden posts, and was
pierced by a single portal above which was a star-shaped
window. At the left of the church was a small shed-like
addition, which served'as a baptistry.74
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Early Vischer drawing:
Pointed-arch doorway.
Rectangular facade window.
Triangular light.
Corridor supported by poles.
Other doors and windows rectangular.
Later Vischer sketch:
Square-headed facade door.
Rectangular windows in side of church.
Domed steeple with four rounded apertures.
Ford etching of about 1883:
Square doorway and round door.
Corridor supported by pilasters or posts with square
bases.
Two star windows.
Painting:
Single star window.
Square doorway with projecting molding.
Square-headed door.
Posts supporting corridor roof.
73 Hall, California Trails, p. 239.' *
74 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches, p. 301.
180
Doors and windows of mission house rectangular.
VII.- SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO
Building history. Under irregular procedure this
mission was founded on July 4, 1823, by Fraile Altimira.
The name San Francisco was appended 'with Solano in order to
75
avoid confusion. The first church, constructed of board
and whitewashed and decorated on the interior, was dedicated
on April 4, 1824.76 Before the end of 1825, an adobe struc
ture was erected. In 1835, a year after secularization, it
is said that General Vallejo had constructed a belfry which
may be seen in some reproductions. Rexford Newcomb believes
this feature to be of a much later date.77 For thirty years
the mission was unused. The walls were disintegrating when
the California Landmarks League with Congressman Joseph R.
Enowland collected through the San Francisco Examiner the
Sum of $13,000. The mission was bought and given to the
state with $2,000 added for restoration. "Vallejo’s”
arched windows and towers were removed and a tile roof re-
78
placed the shingles.
75 Engelhardt, San Francisco or Mission Dolores,
pp. 166-67.
7^ Honoria Tuomey and Luisa Vallejo Tuomey, Mission
Presidio and Pueblo of Sonoma, p. 4.
77 Newcomb, The Old Mission Churche s , p. 305.
7® Older, California Missions and Their Romances, p.296.
181
Study of architectural design and decoration. An
1883 Ford etching shows the adobe church with a tile roof,
a round-arched entry with a round-arched window above, and
three round-arched windows on the side. Poles support the
lean-to corridor of the mission building. This is apparent
ly the restored mission since earlier drawings,79 after
A.'F. Harmer show that the original windows and doors were
headed by wooden lintels. A 1910 photograph taken by Mr.
Pierce has a round-arched entry and a window in the facade
with a high round light above this. The windows in the
side are pointed Gothic style, and the eaves are not so
wide as in earlier reproductions. A Pierce photograph®9
shows the restored chapel on the old lines with wooden
lintels used in the doors and windows. Four lines of wood
divide the facade horizontally. It is reminiscent of the
half timber construction used in Europe and probably allowed
for thinner walls.
Newcomb describes this building as simple and states
that it originally had a square-headed light and a rec
tangular door. The facade, he says, is of adobe faced with
burned brick. This church also boasts a vestibule which
79 G. C. Pierce Print No. 2898.
80 C. C. Pierce Print No. 4108.
182
precedes the nave, and from this steps lead to the choir
loft.81
Tabulation of design and decoration studied.
Original design:
Square-headed door and windows.
Wooden lintels used for doors and windows.
At present new chur.ch built in 'original lines has four
horizontal bands running across the facade.
Interior: vestibule preceding nave with steps leading to
choir loft. ;
Between 1834-1883: Entry and windows rounded. Steeple
added.
Newcomb, The Old Mission Churches» p. 303.
CHAPTER V
S U M M A R Y AND CONCLUSIONS
CHAPTER T W O comprised studies on the seven Francis
can missions in Southern California. This area included
the missions from San Diego in the south to'Santa Barbara
in the north. An element of design found at San Diego was
the curved facade pediment, a feature distinctive of the
southern group, which was also found at San Luis Rey and
in the curved gables of San Gabriel and San Juan Capistrano
But- the corridor which was not arcaded and the predominance
of square-headed windows were features at San Diego more
akin to the San Francisco Bay group of missions. The vesti
bule with three arched entries was definitely a feature of
the central group of missions being found at San Luis
Obispo, San luan Bautista, and San Antonio de Padua, where
in every case a narthex with three entries was noted. Thus
it was that with the study of the very first mission there
were found many exceptions which distinguished it from the
other missions of the southern group, while its general
style, especially the curved pediment of the facade, may
be compared with San Luis Rey and San Carlos--a northern
exception as regards this particular element, reasons for
which will be discussed under the summary and conclusions
184
on design at San Carlos* As regards the curved pediment,
it is believed that these three missions (San Biego, San
Luis Rey, and San Carlos) may be compared generally with
missions in the other southern states and Mexico where the
more florid details of the Churrigueresque have been followed.
Other features noted at San Diego seemed quite
typical of the southern area. The round-headed doorway
resting on projecting capital was an interesting device to
be seen in the majority of California missions and: especially
in the South where the arch' was preferred to the square
headed aperture. The belfry was believed to be of the flat
bell-wall type.
• The ideal design for most California missions, as it
has been expressed by several other writers, was the thick-
walled adobe building with low-pitched tiled roof and tile
floor and vmoden ceiling boards with corbeled beams. With
a few exceptions, where a stone church was built and various
types of vaulted construction used, the use of tile was the
prevailing custom. Because of this and because the general
designs of the missions have been discusse.d so freely, it
wiil be assumed by the writer in the summary and conclusions
concerning design elements at the following missions that t he
adobe building with tile roof was the ideal construction
(although it may have since disappeared) unless a vaulted
185
oonstruetion was otherwise noted.
The use of cedar grilles at San Diego was a feature
which Mr. Lanier Bartlett assigns to the channel group of
Indians who were notable for their woodwork. In this
feature San Diego may be said to conform to the southern
group generally.
The next mission built northward of San Diego was
San Luis Rey, and here as already noted are similarities
of exterior design as regards the curved pediment of the
facade. Features of this mission, which were included in
the southern group generally, were the arcaded corridor, the
masonry dome on terraced bell-tower with chamfered corners,
the round-arched doorway, the circular facade window, and
the bracketed niches. Questionable features in regard to
geographical placing are the red accents on the exterior.
This, the writer believed, should be included in the southern
group because such accents are to be found at San Fernando
mission house and the side entrance of San Buenaventura
although they are likewise to be found on the southernmost
church of the central area, namely, Santa Ines. Overlapping
of single design features and elements has been found to be
a rule rather than an exception, so the latter seeming dis
crepancy is not surprising. It is generally conceded that
the California missions are a comparatively homogeneous
186
group as far as architectural design is concerned. However,
in minutely studying the many design features and elements
it was found that there were many unique features. The
engaged columns supporting an entablature was a feature
which geographically was considered to cover the whole area,
while the .cruciform plan was a rare feature in the Califor
nia mission, being found only at San Juan Capistrano, the
next mission northward, and this mission. (The writer did
not include San Juan Bautista under a cruciform plan
because this was not the ideal feature planned for this
building.) The vaulted construction used in the sanctuary
was also rare, being found only in a few domes, as at this
mission and in some of the other churches which will be
mentioned in passing. The domed tower, as has been observed
by previous writers, was a feature along with the curved
pediment, which the writer found comparable to the missions
of the southern states and Mexico. Other features of
architectural design noted at this mission were the
elliptical-arched splayed windows and brick columns at the
corners of the octagonal building supporting a blind arcade.
The execution of work and conception of design at San Luis
Key was believed similar to work at San Garlos, which the
writer believed was an exception' as regards design in many
southern affinities.
187
In studying the interior decorations of the church
at San Luis Hey, the first use of smaller painted design
motifs was noted. A profusion of marbleizing was apparently
a general mission feature in so far as interior decoration
goes; hut since the greatest amount of interior decoration
was found in the south, the writer believed that generally
the use of marbleizing may be said to be a feature of the
southern group. The use of a border consisting of a three-
petalled flower and serrated leaf was discussed in view of
the fact that George Wharton James labeled a similar border
as a design he found at San Juan Bautista. Designs and
devices found at this mission which have been repeated several
times in the southern area, were the lozenge with scrolled
feelers, diappering, lozenge with plant formation (in this
case a leaf), straight horizontal line broken by alternating
concave and convex circles, and the distinctive "connecting-
leaf pattern” resembling a laurel wreath to be found at
Santa Barbara and Santa Ines. This is definitely a feature
which must have been well known since it is a favorite motif
for decorating around round-arched doorways. Analogous to
this design was one which the writer has called a "connecting -
tear-drop." It is used in the same fashion as the connecting-
leaf, and may have been an unstudied attempt at the same type
of design. These designs are usually connected at top by a
188
circular disk with star or flower within.
The use of simply petalled flowers is another
prevalent motif in mission design. At San Luis- Rey these
have been used in the form of a half-flower v^ithin a semi
circle as a border over an arch. Another use of the petalled
flower is in the continuous border of , f Sr,-stem-and-f our -
petailed flower. Other floral motifs at this mission were
an abstract of the fleur-de-lis and an abstract of a flower
which the writer labeled a water-lily due to its construc
tion of pod, leaf, and flower. The design is similar to one
seen in the stone church at San Juan Capistrano.
Unique devices at this mission were the use of painted
tassels, a quarter of a sunburst, and bow-knots.
The colors used at San Luis Rey were the predominance
of terra-cotta red; secondly, the typical mission black to
be found in many dadoes with accents in tans, buff, reds,
greens, and blues, and yellows. The use of pale blue at
this mission was considered unusual. It is difficult to
conjecture as to what the colors were like originally since
in many of the missions they have faded considerably, while
in this mission and a few others they have been repainted in
garish new colors, which may at that be more akin to the
originals than the faded designs.
San Juan Capistrano was found to be a most fertile
189
field of decorative design elements. The stone church,
besides its constructional designs of cruciform plan,
vaulted roof consisting of seven domes, belfry, and ellip
tical nave bay, had a number of unique carved and painted
decorations. This church, as with many others, has the
projecting channeled pilaster and round-headed doorways.
Other carved decorations in the church were the ceiling
rosettes. The rosette was frequently used but seldom looked
exactly the same. Lozenge and stylized floral motifs were
other typical mission features. A blade-like leaf is used
to decorate several of the keystones in the stone church—
and one in the mission house at Capistrano, which was be
lieved to have been directly transferred from the ruins of
the stone church. The arabesqueing of leaves is more pro
nounced here than at any other mission and the peculiar
"pineapple” motif painted on the walls may be seen repeated
in modifed form along the dado in the Serra church at this
mission. It is difficult to say what the colors of this
church may have actually been; at present they reveal a
subtle beauty in their subdued state and consist of green,
blue, purple, salmon, tan, yellow, and red.
SerraTs church was found to be of typical mission
design; although of earlier construction it is quite possible
that the painted design elements were added after construc
tion of the stone church. The church, a part of one of the
190
quadrangle buildings, (as was the church at La Purisima
Concepcion) and its adjoinging vestibule, yield a number
of typical mission design motifs and devices. These are
the dadoed wall, garlands, rosettes, lozenges ., flame,
zig-zag, serpentine, lozenge with scrolled feelers, lozenge
with plant formation (in this case a rosette) and squares
and lozenges used together (in this case concentric), and
scallops. Several vegetation motifs used in the church are
found elsewhere, aside from the rosette and garland which
were considered rather as devices, are the "poppy,” the
vine accented with leaves or flowers, the water-lily bud,
star-liAe flowers, scrolled and serrated leaves, and the
"pineapple" border already referred to in connection with
the stone church.
A device which the writer considered unique is the
wave or cactus abstract used in a border. The wave is used
at San Buenaventura as a decorative frame on a grille and
also in some of the dadoes in the mission house at Santa
Barbara. This wave, however, differs in the addition of
spiny projections which lead the writer to believe that it
may have been a cactus abstract.
The pyramidal design surmounted by a cross over a
holy-water font may have been a representation of a Calvary
cross. The mission house at San Juan Capistrano was typical
191
of general mission architectural design as defined by other
writers and also typical of the southern area in the uses of
arcaded corridors, deeply recessed windows with different
headings on either side of the adobe wall, and a pedimented
gable end. Unusual were the extremely decorative doorways-.(in
comparison with other California mission houses) and the
square windows with heavy decorative borders. The use of
grilling over these could hardly be found unusual since it
was a necessary protective measure at many of the missions
either in the form of wooden or metal grilles.
Unusual constructive details mentioned by other writers
are the decorative chimney of the pozolera and the projecting
corners of thin flat brick beneath the corridor eaves. The
free-standing bell-wall (that is not in facade) is another
feature to be found in the southern and central areas but
not in the north.
Motifs and devices are the six or eight-petalled
flowers (seen in many variations in decorative design of
the missions), channelling on pilasters and around doorways,
diappering, and the blade-like leaf referred to in connec
tion with the stone church at this mission. The stream of
life or serpentine design, prevalent in mission decorative
design and the use of beveled panels in the doors are also to
be found at this mission.
192
San Gabriel was found to exhibit many features of
the Southern California area: the once vaulted roof, the
curved and pedimented bell-gable, the round-arched doorways,
round-arched niches, and she11-niches are exterior features
which may definitely be associated with the south. The
Keystone with star symbol of Mary over a doorway at the
San Gabriel church is one of the few ecclesiastical motifs
used in applied decorations on the missions. Unusual were
the small lancet windows and profusion of buttresses—
probably felt to be a necessary precaution for the original
vaulted roof. The pyramidal caps on the buttresses are
also unique, but a modified form of the same feature is used
on the Santa Ines bell-gable. The pilasters supporting an
entablature are typical of the southern missions.
The interior wall was characterized by several typical
mission features: namely, the nave wall divided into bays
by undecorated pilasters, the choir carried on corbelled
beams supported by an arch on heavy piers, and the use of
marbleizing. Another typical feature is the plaque with
concavely-rounded corners as a decorative door panel, to be
found at San Luis Obispo and San Miguel in particular. The
needle’s-eye door may perhaps be considered unusual, but its
design, a pointed arch door within a round-arched door, is
typical of mission construction. The pointed and round
arches are frequently seen on either side of a door or
193
doorway. The unique coloristic effect seen in a capital at
San Gabriel was embellished with the honeysuckle and cones
as motifs. The cone was a geometric motif also noted at
San Buenaventura.
^ San Fernando Rey a number of painted designs were
found available for study due to the recent pealing-off of
whitewash and plaster, which revealed old decorations. The
painted motifs noted in this mission which may be said to
be repeated generally in mission decoration were the flame,
the sunburst, zig-zag marbleizing, and painted columns and
arches. This latter device has not been noted as yet but
was a favorite device in mission decoration. Perhaps the
use of the painted tassel and bow-knot at San Luis Rey might
be included under the same type of decoration. The use of
vases painted on the flat surface of the wall, rustication,
and artificial painted tiles must also be included under the
head of devices which should be labeled as purely representa
tional, part of their object being to deceive the eye.
Motifs inspired by vegetation were the poppy, a leafy branch,
red trees resembling the cypress in their form, serrated
flower branching from a shrub, the inevitable abstract of a
petalled flower, and a naturalistic leaf design. It might
be said that in general the designs at this mission as well
as those at San Buenaventura, directly north, are far more
194
naturalistic than those at San Juan Capistrano and San Luis
Rey. In fact, similar inspiration might be assumed for
San Juan Capistrano and San Luis Rey 'on the one hand and
for San Fernando Rey and San Buenaventura on the other.
.Further strengthening this assumption is the use of painted
scenes containing figures and animals at the two latter
missions. At San Fernando Rey were discovered a hunting
scene and another idyllic scene in which four Indians are
represented standing under two trees, while at San Buena
ventura an extremely naturalistic painting bespeaking pro
fessional art training was discovered.
The predominating color noted in the painted decora
tions at San Fernando was the terra-cotta red. Blue, green,
and other naturalistic colors were used in the painted scenes.
As far as the architectural design of San Fernando is
concerned, it was found to be typical. However, in the
construction of doors, windows, and window grilles some
decorative details were noted. The iron-grilled windows of
the facade were found to be unusually decorative for mission
design, being bowed, and further decorated with scrolls and
acroteria of iron. The distinctive feature of the windows
at the mission house was the use of the round Romanesque
arch on the exterior and the pointed Moorish arch on the in
terior, a feature which was also noticed at Santa Barbara.
195
The main doorway was in keeping with the windows hy the use
of the Romanesque arch on the exterior and a fluted arch on
the interior. And a circular window was noted in the rear
wall of the mission house. The doors at this mission were
found to use a series of decorative paneling and channelling,
and the serpentine or stream of life design was present here
as at several of the southern missions and San Juan Bautista
and San Carlos in the north. The elliptical arches of some
of the doorways rested on projecting bases--a typical mission
design feature.
The church at San Fernando Rey was of typical mission
design. The facade was apparently comparatively plain with
a round-arched doorway and rectangular facade window. Heavy
buttresses and at one time some kind of a structure for the
bells, perhaps in the form of a second story of the baptistry,
were reminiscent of the church at San Buenaventura. The
interior of the church, however, gave evidence of care in
design— although built of adobe it resembled the several
stone churches of the southern area in the use of bays sepa
rated by pilasters resting on high plinths. Other decorative
architectural details were the use of rounded arches splayed
into flat arches over the choir loft and over the north and
south doors, which were further decorated by elliptical
niches or lunettes.
196
The use of salmon paint in this church might.be com
pared with use of the same color at San Juan Capistrano,
while the black and blue outlining of suggested stone-work
around doorways was again the mission painters* desire to
deceive the eye noted in several of the missions in the
southern and central groups.
The architectural design features at San Buenaventura
are the tower, the unusually heavy buttresses, and a general
facade arrangement similar to Santa Cruz mission in the
north. It is quite possible, as already suggested, that the
church directly south at San Fernando was similar, the
round-arched doorway and rectangular facade window, and
heavy buttresses being notable features of similarity. The
use of pilasters and a cornice supporting an entablature
(this one triangular believed to be part of an earlier facade)
was another typical mission feature as well as a bracketed
niche. The side door of the mission had an unusual decorative
arch and a series of pilasters and. entablatures using cones
in the decorative scheme.- (The use of cones was seen at San
Gabriel.)
The grille at this mission with its carved wave
design along the top has already been noted as well as the
naturalistic scene containing a rooster, hen, wheat stalks,
roses, and other vegetation, a sacrificial lamb and the
seven sacraments symbolized by pendants. The use of a vase
and garlands in this scene are comparatively prevalent
motifs in mission dec.orative design. The colors are natural
istic and are bordered in terra-cotta red.
The church at Santa Barbara, was the only church in
the mission chain using a definite classic order on its
facade. Six Ionic columns, a fret accented with rosettes
and human acroteria at the apex and angles of the triangular
pediment are further evidence of this conclusion. A round-
arched doorway, circular facade window, and niche further
decorate the facade which was surmounted by a Calvary cross,
(also noted at San Juan Capistrano in a wall painting). The
unusual exterior feature at this mission was the skull and
cross-bones motif and a petdlled flower in the form of vents.
The round-arched doorways use channelled pilasters with
projecting capitals.
On the interior a complete decorative scheme was
reminiscent of San Luis Bey and Santa Ines. The nave was
divided into bays by Ionic pilasters. The Moorish arch was
used in the interior of this building as it was also noted
at San Fernando.
The painted decorations at Santa Barbara were found
to consist of a number of typical mission decorative motifs
and devices. The classic features may all be considered
198
under that type of decoration which attempted to represent
features with paint, a type of camouflaging particularly
noticeable in the prevalent use of marbleizing. The interior
classic details were egg and dart, guilloche, flat pediments,
the Tuscan order, fret, anthemion, and leaf and tongue.
Other details which might be considered classically inspired
-are garlands, circular medallions with superimposed rosette,
coffering, pomegranate design, twisted rope, and vase-shaped
slats. The pineapple motif seen in this mission is different
from the ones seen at San Juan Capistrano. Other motifs
consist of the ever-present petalled flower, diappering,
marbleizing, painted channelling on pilasters, stylized leaf
and floral motifs, an angel’s head, the cross, the prevalent
stream of life or serpentine design, and the unusual "thunder-
bird1 ’ motif.
The colors which have been repainted consisted of red,
yellow, green, blue, orange, white, black, gold, buff, pink,
blue, gray-blue.
The mission house at Santa Barbara was found to be of
typical mission construction, with the southern features of
arcading, Romanesque arches on the exterior of doors, and
windows, and Moorish pointed-arch on the interior. The
pilasters framing the doors had carved channels, rested on
square bases, and had the projecting capital noted before.
199
The decorative wooden window grilles were spool-turned
and had finials at either end of the top of the frame. The
stream of life or serpentine was found on the main door and
the shutters were simply paneled with constructive details.
Other motifs in the mission house were the cross, a
heart-shaped face with emanating rays, and painted dadoes
composed of simple borders relieved by conventionalized
floral and abstract motifs. The colors used in the dadoes
were pink, gray-blue, gray, white, blue, red, yellow, black,
and blue.
CHAPTER THREE included the missions of Central
California, which lie inland. Hone of the missions grouped
under this chapter are on the coast. The seven missions
studied in this chapter were: Santa Ines, La Purisima, San
Luis Obispo, San Miguel, San Antonio de Padua, Nuestra
Senora la Soledad, and San Juan Bautista.
The exterior of the buildings at Santa Ines are lack
ing in decorative design— : which may be regarded as a general
conclusion concerning the seven missions studied in Chapter
three. Any attempt at decoration at this mission is to be
found in the round-headed windows and doors, the arcaded
corridor, terra-cotta painted accents, curved bell-gable
with pyramidal caps at the corners, and the double and triple
200
projecting bases supporting the arches of the door. There
is also a niche over the main entrance doorway which had a
■cross as its only ornament.
The arcade at this mission was a typical feature to
be found in the missions of this area and' Southern California,
generally; but opposite to the Bay area feature of a corridor
resting on posts rather than the use of an arcade. The
round-headed doorways and windows likewise seem to be a
feature more akin to the south, while the northern missions
favored the heavy' lintel construction. The curved bell-
gable was a feature also to be found in the south. The most
northerly use of the curved pediment in a facade is that of
San Carlos Borromeo. This the writer felt was due more to
the influence of Father Serra, who had had considerable
experience in mission building in Sonora. San Diego and San
Luis Hey were the other missions incorporating the curved
gable in the facade. The most northerly bell-gable was that
at San Antpnio de Padua. Although the Bell-wall at San
Antonio is sometimes considered as a facade with a curved
pediment, the writer believed it should be considered as a
bell-gable since it was a later addition to the church just
as were the belfries and bell-walls at the other missions.
In view of this fact the writer also concluded that the
bell-gable is a feature to be found in the southern missions
generally and partially in the central area. The pyramidal
201
caps used at Santa Ines, it must be admitted, were a feature
to be found at San Gabriel.
The terra-cotta colored paint used at this mission
was a color generally used in all of the California missions.
However, as an accent to exterior design it may be compared
with the facade at San Luis Rey de Espana, and the side
door at San Buenaventura. In both places a similar use of
terra-cotta red may be noticed.
The niche containing the cross was not an elaborate
one and should not be compared with the niches at San Luis
Rey or San Carlos which are more decorative. The Santa Ines
niche with its simple round head might be compared with
similar work in the mission house at Santa Barbara and the
mission house at San Juan Capistrano.
The use of double and triple projecting bases for the
arched doorways in this mission is unique. The single use
has been noted in many of the missions of the central and
southern areas. The added embellishment was apparently a
peculiar feature at Santa Ines.
It is for its interior decorative scheme, however,
i * *
that Santa Ines was noted. It was believed by some writers
that this decorative scheme was influenced by the one at
Santa Barbara. Similarity of motifs fortify this belief,
but lack of technique in rendering would seem to preclude
202
the idea that they were done entirely under the same
directorship or by the same artisans. The painted designs
bespeak a considerable.classic inspiration as did the ones
at Santa Barbara; but instead of a prevalence of the Ionic
order it was found that a composite Corinthian order tended
to be the chief inspiration at Santa Ines. Other motifs
inspired by the classic were the fret, the acanthus, dentils,
(both rectangular and saw-tooth), and rosettes. This
mission,in addition to the painted classic details, dis
played a considerable amount of that type of embellishment
which was defined by the fact that it did not actually exist
but was painted on the flat walls. Such designs and de
vices included marbleizing, and painted drapery on the walls.
Other naturalistic motifs were a bowl with flowers, a tree
or shrub, a basket of flowers, and a rosebud, flower, and
leaf. Abstracts or semi-abstracts of vegetation consisted
of a flower and leaf design, ropes of roses, the important
elongated leaf pattern resembling a laurel wreath, which
might be considered as directly inspired by a similar design
at Santa Barbara, conventionalized flowers and buds and an
all-over daisy pattern. The use of all-over patterns is a
notable feature at another of the central area missions,
namely, San Miguel.
In the sphere of geometric and completely abstract
203
designs the lozenge was found here modified by scrolled
feelers at one end only, and in connection with plant life
(a basket of flowers or center rosettes). Vertical stripes,
a wing abstract, and the serpentine or stream of life were
also to be found in this mission.
At La Purisima it was found that in the reconstruction
of the mission house designs and devices used at other
missions were arbitrarily repeated in this one. However,
in the reconstruction of the room used as a church the
decorative scheme was followed from old photographs. The
building itself did not have the arcading which was almost
always used i n ' : : the southern areas but used posts with cham
fered corners to support the roof of the corridors. The
church was found to have a group of clerestory windows, a
feature also noticed at San Juan Bautista. The altar rail
and grilled doors used a vase and bulb motif in the design
of the half spindles, and fluted plaques above the altar
niches were copied from old photographs of the mission church
before its disintegration.
A fragment of painted plaster discovered and recorded
by the Index of American Design had interlaced scallops,
a pod design, a conventionalized flower, and a continuous
lozenge as its motifs.
204
San Luis Obispo was found to be typical of the central
area in its lack of exterior decoration and in its use of a
three-entried narthex arid bell-wall, all incorporated into a
pre-facade. The use of the three-entried narthex was noted
at San Diego in the southern group as an exception; but in
the central group it was to be found not only at San Luis
Obispo but also at San Antonio de Padua and San Juan
Bautista. The use of bells incorporated in the facade was
notable in two of the northern group or the Bay area missions,
San Francisco de Asis and San Jose de Guadalupe; while in
the central area it was found at San Luis Obispo and San
Antonio de Padua, whose facade is really a cross between
a bell-gable and a three-entried narthex; and since it was
built later than the church, has been considered under the
head of a bell-gable rather than a facade for several points
of comparison.
The corridor of this mission was also not arcaded,
and at one time a wooden railing with newell posts with
bulbous finials was used. This was a feature noted also in
the northern mission, Santa Cruz, but never in the southern
area.
The center of decorative interest at this mission was
found to be the main doorway, which was decorated with plaques
having concavely rounded corners, a device seen again in this
205
area as well as in the south at San Gabriel. The painted
decoration around the doorway adhered to mission style in
that it was a representation of; something not actually there,
namely, a pilaster and arch construction, which was further
modified by the addition of swirls of acanthus leaves and
grapes with the central papal symbol of tiara, cross, and
crozier. The coloring (tones of violet) and technique of
execution, however, bespeak the workmanship of a professional
rather than a neophyte. The interior of the church was
apparently decorated by neophyte hands, the blue stars on
the ceiling still evidence of their craftsmanship. The use
of terra-cotta red is notable in the wooden cornice.
San Miguel is characterized by its lack' of decoration
on the exterior and an elaborate scheme of space covering
on the interior of the church. The corridor was partly
arcaded and partly supported by lintels. Other exterior
decoration consisted of a decorative chimney and doors using
the concavely cornered plaque noted before as a motif.
The interior designer used an all-over decorative
scheme. Such painted representational features as marble
izing, classic detail, balustrading, fringe, and tassels were
used at this mission. The use of painted tassels was also
seen at San Luis Hey, but not in the same form or application.
The classic features at this mission were inspired by the
206
Doric rather than the composite at Santa Ines, the Ionic
at Santa Barbara, or the Tuscan at San Gabriel. Classic
details included fluted columns, the fret, dentils, acanthus
leaf, and mutules in a Doric inspired architrave. Other
devices included the lozenge, squares, rosettes, a fan or
shell-shaped panel, and the use of tear-drop turned spindles.
Motifs inspired by vegetation not already included under
classic designs were an all-over pomegranate pattern, ab
stract floral motifs (full face and profile), bell-shaped
flower, sprays of leaves, and a leaf and fern pattern. San
Miguel may be characterized by the all-over character of
its decoration, hints of which were noted at Santa Ines;
while the decorative schemes in the southern area showed an
attempt to highlight doors, windows, and pilasters.
San Antonio de Paduafs interior decoration and wood
work have disappeared, and as far as the writer has been able
to discover were not recorded. The facade or bell-gable
remained as the only ohurch ornamentation. This has already
been compared with San Diego in the south and San Juan
Bautista and San Luis Obispo in the central area for its
triple entry. The incorporation of bells within the wall
the writer believed should be compared with the bell-walls
and bell-gables in the southern area as well as the use of
the facade for bells in San Luis Obispo, San Francisco- de
Asis, and San Jose de Guadalupe. Other devices used at San
307
Antonio de Padua were windows rounded at top and bottom and
flanking towers with ball finials on the bell-gable,
' Nue.stra Senora de la Soledad was in almost complete
ruins with only the foundations remaining. From old pic
tures it was concluded that the building was lacking in ex
terior decoration and had a corridor supported by posts
rather than arches. The use of wooden lintels continuing
in a horizontal band is comparable to a similar device used
at San Francisco Solano. Soledad with its square facade
window and round-arched doorway displayed features of the
central area but was somewhat akin to the Bay area churches
in its material poverty. Records might lead one to believe
that there was some kind of interior decoration.
San Juan Bautista was included in the central area
study rather than San Carlos, which is an exception in many
ways but which for sake of convenience and several decorative
details was considered with the Bay area group. The unusual
plan of the mission has been noted by previous writers.
Briefly it consisted of a nave with side, aisles separated by
an arcade now blinded. The exterior has already been grouped
in the central area for use of its triple entry and narthex
and its rectangular facade window and lack of exterior
embellishment. The low arcade, however, formed one of the
most delightful decorative patterns of the California
missions. The interior of the church was recently done over
208
so that there are only doubtful records giving any hint of
interior decoration. But apparently there was some mural
decoration in brownish red, green, and light' green.
Other devices noted by the writer were a typical
round-headed doorway with heavy architrave, the use of a
round arch on one side and fluted arch on the other side of a
door )also noted in the southern group) the serpentine or
stream of life door grooving, wooden grilled doors and
window and a lozenge and triangle pattern on a shutter.
CHAPTER POUR consisted of a study of the northernmost
California missions around the San Francisco Bay and at San
Carlos Borromeo and Santa Cruz. San Carlos was found to be
an exception in the design of this area because of its curved
pediment, decorated facade, and domed tower. Such features
were found in the missions of the other southern states and
Mexico, but seldom in the California chain with the exception
of parts of the southern area studied in this investigation.
Other features of exterior decoration were a frieze using
oblong decorations, basket finials, and a star window, a
motif noticed at San Rafael.
On the interior are many features more in keeping with
the southern area. These are the bays divided by pilasters
and the once vaulted roof. The pilasters and entablature were
of the Doric order and classic details included the egg-and-
dart, dentils, and mutules. There was also a feeling of the
209
baroque in the interior of the church (aside from the
pediment, et cetera, of the exterior) to be seen in the
pilasters with channels ending in a hooked scroll. Gothic
inspiration was noted in this mission in the use of clustered
columns supporting a ribbed ceiling. Doorways were ellip
tical or rounded, and the windows of the church followed the
northern example of being square-headed. An old door dis
played the serpentine grooving significantly present in
mission design, while another was grilled. Wall paintings
known to represent an old Spanish prayer, and another in the
form of squares divided into a white half and a green half by
a diagonal line was a device also found at San Francisco de
As is.
Santa Gruz, although completely obliterated, v/as
studied from old pictures. As to exterior design it was
found to be comparatively plain--a significant feature in
the missions north of Santa Barbara. However, a slight em
bellishment was found in the form of the round-arched door
way with flanking' pilasters supporting a simple entablature.
A pair of heavy facade buttresses and a tower, apparently
with frame construction, gives an effect similar to that of
San Buenaventura and the church at San Fernando Hey. The
tower, however, stood free of the church and was not in
corporated with the building as was the case at Santa Barbara,
San Luis Hey, and San Carlos. In fact, the construction at
210
Santa Cruz was comparable in this respect to Santa Clara's
free-standing bell-tower. The church apparently had
rectangular grilled windows, and the"lack of arcading defin
itely placed this mission with the northern group of missions,
which for economic reasons and great distance from Mexico,
the Paris of the new world, never attained the architectural
significance and finish which, the southern missions achieved.
An old painting of the interior revealed the use of
chevrons painted in several tones--a device used also at San
Francisco de Asis. The wooden altar rail had ball finials
on the newell posts reminiscent of the same device at San
Antonio de Padua and San Luis Obispo.
The church at San Jose de. Guadalupe was also studied
from pictures. The use of a small triangular pediment sup
ported by pillars as a doorway treatment is entirely unique
in the mission chain— being completely dissimilar from the
use of the large triangular pediment at Santa Barbara or the
even different use of a decorative pediment at San Buena
ventura. In fact, the writer would compare this doorway
with a similar use of classic detail in the first phase of
Georgian on the eastern sea-board. The hitherto unheard of
use of a dormer window in mission architecture was also
recorded at this mission and might again be compared with
architectural treatment on the Eastern coast of the United
211
States. Otherwise San Jose de Guadalupe was a typical Bay-
area mission with a lack of decoration on the exterior and
the absence of arcading in the corridor of the mission house
which flanked the church. There was record of interior mural
decoration, but the writer was unable to discover what the
designs or colors were.
Santa Clara, another Bay-area mission, was also studied
from pictures. The building itself was of frame construction
with elaborate facade decoration in a crude painted fashion
and a free standing bell-tower. The exterior painted decora
tion was of typical mission inspiration and execution.
Composite columns, entablatures, Flemish scrolls, pedestaled
niches with saints, vases of flowers, and the triangular
eye-of-God are all reminiscent of painted decorations seen
at Santa Ines and San Miguel and especially of the reredos
at San Miguel and San Juan Bautista, which were not included
in this study.
The interior apparently had some scheme of decoration,
which was possible to study from pictures. The sanctuary
ceiling displayed an elaborate scene of painted clouds,
stars, and .figures of saints, angels, and cherubs. The use of
/
fcieshorteningv^ and figures was novel in California mission
decoration and bespeaks the use of trained labor. A border
design on the wall was more typical of the southern area
decoration. An interlaced guilloche of leaves and flowers
212
with a daisy central motif, all highly stylized, seem to
reveal a hand artistic in nature but because of lack of skill
in representation had resorted to abstractions. When the
neophytes were allowed to do this instead of attempting to
represent some scheme, their designs were found to be artis
tically much more delightful than the elaborately studied
decorative schemes. A wainscot line set off by the body of
a serpent and festoons of red, green, and blue were other
decorations recorded at this mission.
San Francisco de Asis, the only mission on the San
Francisco Bay, to attain architectural significance was
enhanced by a double order of six columns superimposed on
four lower free-standing columns, separated by a horizontal
cornice line and railing. The use of the facade as a place
for bells was comparable to San Luis Obispo and San Antonio
de Padua (which was already qualified as a cross between a
facade and bell-gable by the writer). The windows were con
structed with heavy wooden lintels, and several round-headed
doorways were to be found in this church.
The interior is lacking in decoration with the excep
tion of the ceiling beams and boards, and a decorated arch
divided the nave from the sanctuary. Chevrons of white, pale
grayish blue, terra-cotta red, and dull orange are used on
the beams— a device comparable to Santa Cruz’s decorative
scheme; and squares divided diagonally into a red half and a
213
white half are reminiscent of a similar device at San Carlos
Borromeo. The decorated spandrels of the arch have space
filling acanthus leaf decoration with centrally placed
religious symbols.
San Rafael was comparatively lacking in decoration
with the exception of a star facade window similar to the.
one at San Carlos Borromeo. It was typical of the Bay area
in never attaining the economic security which the southern
missions did.
San Francisco Solano was also classified for its
absence of decoration with the exceptions of horizontal
facade lines reminiscent of the continuation of lintels at
Soledad.
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University Press, 1932. 188 pp.
McGroarty, John Steven, Mission Memories. Los Angeles:
Neuner Corporation, 1929. 59 pp. 2.1 illus.
Morrison, Gouverneur Merion, The Old Mission Bells Will Ring
Tonight. Santa Barbara, California: Santa Barbara
Daily News, 1931. 20 pp.
220
Mylar, Isaac L., Early Days at the Mission San Juan Bautista.
Watsonville, California: Evening Pajaronian, 1929.
195 pp.
Newcomb, Hexford, The Franciscan Architecture of Alta
California.• New York: The Architectural Book Publishing
Company, 1916. 6 pp. XLI plates.
Newcomb, Hexford, The Old Mission Churches and,Historic
Houses of California. Philadelphia and London: J. P.
Lippincott Company, 1925. 363 pp. 217 illus. and misc.
drawings.
Newcomb, Hexford, Spanish Colonial 'Architecture in the United
States. New York: J. J. Augustin, 1937. 130 pp.
Nordstrom, Algot and Nordstrom, Alma, Pen Pictures of
California 1s Missions. Los Angeles: Carl A. Bundy
Quill and Press, 1937.
O'Keefe, Reverend J. J., Mission Santa Barbara: A Handbook.
Santa Barbara: Independent Job Printing House, 1886.
40 pp.
Older, Mrs. Fremont, California Missions and Their Romances.
New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1938. 301 pp. 26 illus.
O'Sullivan, St. John, Little Chapters about San Juan
Capistrano. 18th edition. San Juan Capistrano:
Published by permission of authority, 1912. 32 pp.
Palou, Francisco, The Expedition into California of the
Venerable Padre Fray Junipero Serra and His Companions
in the Year 1769. San Francisco: Nueva California
Press, 1934. 124 pp.
Palou, Francisco, Life and Apostolic Labors of the Venerable
Father Junipero Serra. Pasadena , California: G-eorge
fyharton James edition, 1913. 338 pp.
Palou, Francisco, California Missions. San Francisco:
Nueva California Press, 1934. 117 pp.
Palou, Francisco, Historical Memoirs of New California.
4 vols. Berkeley, California: University of California
Press, 1926.
281
Palou, Francisco, Junipero Serra, Padre Pioneer. First
edition. Gouvernour Morrison ed. Santa Barbara:
W. D. Cogan, 1934. 48 pp.
Pattie, James 01, The Personal Narrative of James 0. Pattie
of Kentucky. Edited by Timothy Flint~TlS33)• Cleveland,
Ohio: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 1905. 379 pp.
Peixotto, Ernest, Romantic California. New York: Charles
Scribner’s Sons, 1910. 219 pp.
Powers, Laura Bride, The Missions of California. San
Francisco: William Doxey Publishers, 1897,. 106 pp.
25 illus.
Richman, Irving Berdine, California Under Spain and Mexico.
Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1911.
500 pp.
Robinson, Alfred, Life in California Before the Conquest.
San Francisco: The Private Press of Thomas C. Russell,
1925,. 316 pp. 7 illus.
Sanchez, Nellie Yan de Grift, California Spanish Arcadia.
Los Angeles: Powell Publishing Company, 1929. 378 pp.
Saunders, Charles F., A Little Book of California Missions.
New York: R. M. McBride and Company, 1925. 64 pp.
Saunders, Charles Francis, and Chase, J. Smeaton, The
California Padres and Their Missions. Boston and New
York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1915. 399 pp. 31 illus.
Saunders, Charles Francis. Capistrano Nights. New York:
R. M. McBride and Company, 1930. 202 pp.
Sawyer, Eugene T., History of Santa Clara County. Los Angeles:
Historic Record Company” 1922. 1692 pp.
Smith, Frances Rand, The Architectural History of Mission San
Carlos Borromeo. Berkeley; California Historical Survey
Commission, 1921. 74 pp. 44 illus.
Smyth, Eugene Leslie, The Missions of California. Chicago:
A. Belford and Company, 1899. 41 leaves, 12 plates.
222
Sugranes, Eugene, The Old San Gabriel Mission. San Gabriel,
California: Mission San Gabriel, 1909. 100 pp. 24
illus.
Torchiana, H. A. van Coenen, History of Santa Cruz Mission.
San Francisco: Paul Elder, 1933. 400 pp. 24 illus.
Tuomey, Honoria and Emparan, Luisa Vallejo, Mission Presidio
and Pueblo of Sonoma. Santa Rosa, California: Press-
Democrat Publishing Company, 1923. 104 pp.
Walsh, Marie T., Mission Bells of California. San Francisco:
Harr Wagner Publishing Company, 1934. 327 pp.
Walsh, Marie T., The Mission of the Passes, Santa Ines.
Los Angeles.: Times Mirror Press, 1930. 122 pp.
Workman, Boyle, The 0ity That Grew. Los Angeles: The
Southland Publishing Company, 1935. 430 pp.
B. PERIODICAL ARTICLES
*
Mayrhofer, Albert V., "How Restoration Was Brought to
Ancient Mission San Diego," San Diego Magazine 7:9,
September, 1931.
Miller, James Marshall, "Recreating Padre Architecture at
Mission San Diego de Alcala," San Diego Magazine, 7:9,
September, 1931.
C. ESSAYS
Freidel, Frank, "California Mission Design, an Historical
Survey." 20 pp.
D. PUBLICATIONS OF LEARNED ORGANIZATIONS
Bartlett, Lanier, "Carved Ornamentation of the California
Mission Period," Monograph. Index of American Design.
Southern California. Not paged. 1940.
223
Bartlett, Lanier, "Native Art of the Southwest," Monograph.
Index of 1 American Design, Southern California. 9 pp.
(n. d. c. 1940.)
Evans, Homer, "The Hand-writing on the Walls," Index of
American Design. Los Angeles: Federal Art Project,
n. d. 10 pp.
Judson, William L., "Architecture of the Missions," Historical
Society of Southern California, Annual Publications, VII,
(1906-8), 114-118.
ludson, W. L., "Early Art in California," Historical Society
of- Southern California, Annual Publications, V, (1902),
215-216.
Lemmon, Warren W., "The Study of Early American Wall Painting
in Southern California," Index of American Design.
Los Angeles, California: Federal Art Project. 11 pp.
n. d.
Old Mission Restoration Committee, Santa Barbara Earthquake.
1926* Copyrighted by Old Mission Restoration Committee.
Photos copyrighted 1926 by Hess, Los Angeles. Not paged.
E. UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS
Newcomb, Rexford, "The Architecture of the Missions of Alta
California." Unpublished MasterTs thesis, University of
Southern California, Los Angeles, California, 1915.
59 leaves. 37 plates.
Index of American Design. Southern California. Vv. P. A.
Federal Art Project.
Pictorial File. California State Historical Society.
University of Southern California.
Pictorial File. C. C. Pierce, 1572 W. Pico Boulevard, Los
Angeles, California.
ILLUSTRATIONS
1. San Diego from an early print
226
2. Facade, San Luis Rey
227
3. Elliptical Bay, Stone Church,
( 3an Juan Capistrano
4. Doorway, Stone Church,
San Juan Capistrano
228
r
'**+■1. V- )
5. Wail Paintings
Stone Church,
San Juan Caoistraiic
6. Keystone. Stone Church,
San Juan Capistrano
7. Ceiling decora
tion, Stone Church,
San Juan Capistrano
229
Vestibule. Serra
Churchj San Juan
Capistrano
Interior. Serra Church
San Juan Capistrano
230
10. Wall Decorations.
Serra Church,
San Juan Capistrano
■ i r
t-
11. Dado, Ceiling beams,
and corbels, Serra Church,
San Juan Capistrano
231
Details. Vlaza, San Juan Capistrano
Keystones. San Juan Capistrano
'able end and
buttress, San
Doorway and Keystone
detail, San Gabriel

235
22. Shell niche,
San Gabriel
25, Capital, San G-abriel
237
24.
M£-1 6 .(a)b
7
Details. Mission House, San Fernando Hey
Cfturcii Interior, San Fernando Hey
0£2
239
340
51. Facade, Santa Barbara
241
Tent, Santa Barbara
33, Cemetery Doorway, Santa
Barbara
* • /
242
54. Grille, Santa Barbara
Mission House
55. Main Door, Santa Barbara
Mission House
243
. . . . ■. ■>» ^
mu &ou*:n
Doorways. Interior. Santa Barbara Church
244
Decorations. Interior, Santa Barbara Church.
42. Reception Room, Santa Barbara Mission House
246
43. Niche, Santa Ines
P M/-7XW
45.
Interior detail. Santa Ines
VI5CI-183
248
mamruimu
ilSHii
MSCL-I7fe-©) b,c.
Wall Paintings. Santa Ines
T J / J A/. . / A / J . A ...
xwnrv
42. Wall Paintings. Santa Ines
250
50. Border Design,
La Puri3ina Concepcion
Main Doorway, San Lulg 0bigpQ
252
53, Door, San Miguel
253
55.
Interior Detail, San Miguel
nr-:
*v
56. Wall painting
254
855
57.
58.
Exterior Detail. San Juan Bautista
256
62. Santa Cruz from an old print
257
j p n r r ' j j f ; i l | f l :r
issiwmm
258
64. Wall Painting, Santa Clara
260
65. Ceiling Decoration, Santa Clara
^
66. San Jose de Guadalupe from an old photograph
262
IK , s m \ sSHIB
San Francisco de Asis

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Asset Metadata

Creator Sperb, Jane (author)

Core Title A comparison of architectural design and decoration of the missions of California.

Degree Master of Arts

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Architecture,Design and Decorative Arts,OAI-PMH Harvest,religion, general

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c30-188073

Unique identifier UC11223590

Identifier usctheses-c30-188073 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier EP57832.pdf

Dmrecord 188073

Document Type Thesis

Rights Sperb, Jane

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA