Architecture of Conversion and Its Significance for the Process of Conquest and Colonization of New Spain
Abstract
The paper deals with the architecture of conversion of the 16th century in New Spain. It focuses on the introduction of this unique monastic architecture and its individual elements (such as an open chapel, posa chapel and atrium cross), as well as the artistic decoration and its iconographic program.
The aim of this paper is to present this architecture and its plastic decoration and interpret them from the point of view of the conversion of the native population of America. The methodology of the contribution draws from anthropology and art theory, in particular from the iconology of Erwin Panofsky and from the symbolic anthropology, namely from the concepts of "transitional rituals" of Arnold van Gennep and structure, communitas and liminality of Victor Turner.
The analysis is based on photographic material recorded in Mexico in 2013 during field research funded with the support of the Mexican government. The results have shown that the monastic architecture of New Spain in relation with the Christian liturgy became part of the ritual of transition directed towards Indians adopting a new Western worldview and the cult (the Christian faith) associated with it, and thus being integrated into early colonial society.