First of all, we thank all those who made this third edition of the publication possible. We are grateful for all those who have purchased copies of this book, as well as lithographs and other products of the work of the painter Jorge Sánchez Hernández. Thanks to your valuable support, it has been possible for us to continue spreading our grandfather's artistic legacy and making it known throughout the world.
On this occasion, we proudly present a new edition 2023 of the illustrated book Nican Mopohua in three languages: English, Spanish and its original text in Náhuatl.
Nican Mopohua translates to "Here is told", generally known by the abbreviated title Huei Tlamahuiçoltica, "The Great Event". Nican Mopohua is the title of the oldest known account of apparitions of the Holy Virgin Mary of Guadalupe to the native peasant Juan Diego in the year 1531.
The original text in Náhuatl is attributed to Don Antonio Valeriano [ca. 1540] and published in Mexico City, Mexico, in 1649 by Luis Laso de la Vega, the vicar of the chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Tepeyac outside the same city. The translation into Spanish and English is made by P. Mario Rojas Sánchez, Grupo Macehual Guadalupano, María Ortiz Alonso and María Martha Argüelles Salinas.
The reader will enjoy the poetic language, full of symbolism, characteristic of the Nahuatl, as he or she delves into the message of love from the Mother of God to all children of Creation, expressed through beautifully crafted images created by Jorge Sánchez Hernández.
In the third edition of this book you will find an interview with my grandfather, the painter Jorge Sánchez Hernández, and his personal way in re interpreting the text into images.
About how he painted Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, he tells us that he didn't make a copy of the original image, nor did he copied the works of painters who had previously painted her. He looked for a young woman who was mestiza, for she would have both Spanish and Indigenous features which means that she represented the new Mexican race. "My Virgin is more realistic, more human; she speaks; she has conversations; she moves; she comes out of the painting". The painter took many models to recreate Her face, finding inspiration as well in the daughter of one of his closer friends.
About Juan Diego, he told us that this character is not inspired by the paintings of other artists either. He is 100% Indigenous, a strong and lean, humble and selfless, dignified and obliging, man with a decided tendency toward being mystical, an enlightened being.
"But what is the message? -says Mr. Jorge- The Virgin of Guadalupe came to tell us all that She is the Mother of God, and that she wants a house built here where she can listen to all of our needs, pains and sorrows, in order to console us; she wants us to know that she is our loving mother".
This body of work is on permanent exhibition in The Queen's Room, located in the former Hacienda del Molino de San José on the Real de Cholula road which leads to the City of Puebla, and was painted between the years 1978 and 1981 in México City. It consists of 18 paintings on canvas, on different sizes; its aesthetic in New Spain Baroque style of the 17th and 18th century.
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Nican Mopohua in Náhuatl - Spanish - English paperback book is now available on our online shop.
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