*5.3. The Interior Architecture of Our Lady of the Angels' Temple in the City of La Paz*

The interior wealth of the temple is considerable. The altarpieces and pulpit are from the 18th century, and the front of the altar and the tabernacle are made of silver. The paintings of the presbytery, by Leonardo Flores (Figure 7), present allegories of the Virgin5 and the Franciscan Order, which contribute to hierarchizing the main space of the building.

**Figure 7.** Pictures of the presbytery. Photography: Josefina Matas, 2023.

There are three important altarpieces of golden cedar: one on the main altar and two on the side altars. Their style corresponds to the second half of the 18th century, a time when the so-called Mestizo style reached its peak. The currently existing sets of altarpieces are:

*the one of the Lord of the Belt (*Señor de la Pretina*), the one of Lourdes and the High Altar which was gilded in the late 18th century by the artist Xavier de Vargas, who concluded the work at the same time as the closure of the vault, on 27 November 1772, and the semi-circular dome, the following year*. (Mesa and Gisbert 1972, p. 216)

Mesa and Gisbert (1972) point out that the authors of this altarpiece are the same group of altars-makers who worked in Arani and in the Cochabamba Valley. In La Paz, however, Solomonic columns were decorated with bunches of grapes and heads with shells and scrolls, and the niches, in the form of trilobed arches, alternated with mirrors in the Cuzco manner. The decoration of this monumental ensemble makes it more similar to the group of altarpieces of the department of La Paz than to those of the Cochabamba Valley—for instance, it is similar to the one of Carabuco (Figure 8).

**Figure 8.** Main altarpiece of the temple of Carabuco in La Paz. Photographs: Josefina Matas, 2020.

Moving to the analysis of the main altarpiece (Figures 9 and 10), one can observe that it has three registers (levels) and three vertical segments, and rests on a pedestal with mestizo decoration. The upper part is adorned with a semicircular arch, with mirrors topped with flowering scrolls. Nowadays, there is a canvas of the Virgin crowned by the Trinity closing this ensemble. This painting belongs to the Cuzco School of the 18th century (Nicolini 2003; Vives Azancot 1985).

**Figure 9.** Main altarpiece of the Basilica of San Francisco de La Paz. Photographs: Josefina Matas, 2020.

**Figure 10.** Diagram of the main altarpiece of the Basilica of San Francisco de La Paz. Drawn by: Josefina Matas.

The intercolumns are formed by free-standing *Bacchic* columns6, supported by tenant7 figures. There are niches of trilobed arches of Mudejar influence between the right feet. In the centre and first body, there is the tabernacle, inside a baldachin, supported by Solomonic columns and a semidome. The cornices that divide the registers are filled with little men in support positions; the mirrors at the base of the columns are strategically placed to reflect the scarce light existing inside the temple. All the columns are *Bacchic*, with copious grapes, leaves, and branches8.

The niches have pedestals for the saints and are adorned with complex mouldings with grapes and acanthus leaves.

It can be established that this altarpiece—like the building—is of mestizo baroque style. This is evidenced in its decoration and, above all, by its tone of *horror vacui*. The religious symbology is evident. The vine is the symbol of the blood of Christ that was shed for the salvation of humankind. On the pedestal, the bull, a symbol of the apostle St. Luke, appears on the side of the Gospel, and the lion, an icon of St. Mark, on the side of the Epistle (Montes Bardo 1998; Ramírez González 2006; Uribe 1962). These saints appear in this altarpiece as well as on the facade. It is difficult to establish the reason for this coincidence and why these evangelists were chosen, as we do not have any documentation referring to these facts. The number of anthropomorphic heads and the little men in tenant positions is striking. These are of cedar wood and are completely gilded with gold leaf.

Moving on from the main one, there are a total of ten other altarpieces.

From the same period as the main altarpiece, there are two more: those of the Lord of the Belt (Figure 11) and that of San Francisco de Asís. These altarpieces belong to the same school. Both have two registers and three vertical sections. As in the main altarpiece, the decoration is profuse; the Solomonic columns have abundant vines and branches, with anthropomorphic figures at the bottom and top, there are large angels in a support position throughout, and trefoil arches finishing the niches. The mirrors are also part of the ensemble.

**Figure 11.** Altarpiece of the Lord of the Belt. Photography: Romina Gómez, 2017.

The rest of the altarpieces correspond to Saint Anthony, the Virgin of Copacabana (Figure 12), the Virgin of El Carmen, Our Lord of Veracruz, Our Lady of Remedios, Our Lord of the Column, Saint Joseph, and the Sacred Heart. They are all in mestizo baroque style.

**Figure 12.** Virgin of Copacabana altarpiece. Photographs: Romina Gómez, 2017.

As for the hierarchy of spaces suggested by the altarpieces, the main altarpiece is the one that brings together the greatest functional, formal, and symbolic content of the whole: functional, because it frames the place where Holy Mass is celebrated; formal, for having the largest dimensions; and symbolic, for being the focal point of the entire building. The rest of the altarpieces have the same hierarchy. This similarity is due to the religious and symbolic function, equality of proportion, size, and design, which places them all in the same category.

The altarpiece discourse continues to have as its central axis the Virgin and the history of the Franciscan Order. In the case of the main altarpiece, it is interesting to note that, in addition to the Franciscan saints, one can find Santo Domingo de Guzmán, the founder of the Dominicans, order of preachers, and St. Thomas Aquinas, called the Angelic Doctor for his theological wisdom, who was also a Dominican. The themes of the altarpieces are the sufferings of the Passion of the Lord, the Virgin in her different advocations, Saint Joseph, the Sacred Heart, and the Franciscan saints, accompanied by a fairly complete repertoire of the saints.

The pulpit (Figure 13) is perfectly carved, along with the canopy, and is preserved in an almost intact fashion. In front of the pulpit and four other columns, there are canopies or thrones9 of equal art (Figure 14). All these elements contribute to reinforcing the notions of transcendence and infinity, as well as the lustre and gold of the sober atmosphere. These are all aesthetic strategies that converge to highlight the evangelizing role of this altarpiece art.

In summary, the interior of the temple of San Francisco condenses the concepts of Christianity in a referential architecture, where the ornamentation of the altarpieces, pulpits, and thrones allude to important characters of Western Christian culture.

**Figure 13.** Pulpit. Photographs: Romina Gómez, 2017.

**Figure 14.** Throne. Photographs: Romina Gómez, 2017.
