Mission Espada - San Antonio

A simple, timber cross welcomes pilgrims to San Antonio's historic Mission Espada.... more

by Stephen Stookey

Title

Mission Espada - San Antonio

Artist

Stephen Stookey

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

A simple, timber cross welcomes pilgrims to San Antonio's historic Mission Espada.

Mission San Francisco de la Espada, founded in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas, is the oldest of the East Texas mission. The mission moved to its present location in 1731 with the name San Francisco de la Espada. The Spanish mission enterprise, by government/church policy sought to recreate Spanish village life. Indigenous inhabitants learned vocations from the Franciscan friars--e.g., agriculture, weaving, blacksmithing, carpentry, masonry, stone-cutting, and brick-making. [Mission Espada was the only San Antonio mission that made bricks.]

Mission Espada still retains the feel of an isolated mission on the Texas frontier. A small group of Franciscan brothers still serve the picturesque mission church.

The broken arch doorway leading into the sanctuary provides Mission Espada its signature architectural feature.

Mission Espada is a part of the US National Park Service's San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

The San Antonio Missions (The Alamo & San Antonio Missions National Historical Park) is an inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stephen Stookey captured the original image for this digital painting with a Canon 5D Mark III & a Canon 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens.

CONTESTS, FEATURES, RECOGNITION

Special Featured Artist
FAA Group: The Road to Self Promotion
12/21/2014 Week

FAA Featured Image:
Christian Theme Artwork Group
12/20/2014

FAA Featured Image:
The Road to Self promotion
12/20/2014

FAA Featured Image:
Beauty
12/20/2014

FAA Featured Image:
I Wish I Was There
12/20/2014

FAA Featured Image:
Landscape and landmark Photography
12/20/2014

FAA Featured Image:
Doors and Windows Photography
12/20/2014

FAA Featured Image:
AAA Images
12/20/2014

FAA Featured Image:
Images That Excite you
12/21/2014

FAA Featured Image:
Google Gallery
12/22/2014

Featured FAA Image:
Premium FAA Artists
12/23/2014

Featured FAA Image:
3 A Day Waiting Room Art
12/23/2014

FAA Featured Image:
Doors and Gates Group
12/26/2014

FAA Featured Image:
500 Views
12/27/2014

FAA Featured Image:
Street Art
12/28/2014

FAA Featured Image:
Art from the Past
1/1/2015

FAA Featured Image:
Starving Artists Photographers
1/29/2015

FAA Featured Image:
Christian Art and Photography
2/3/2015

Uploaded

December 10th, 2014