GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Théodore Gentilz created some of the earliest known scenes of Texas, such as this detailed architectural study of Mission San José, San Antonio's most celebrated mission. He first came to the state in 1844 as a surveyor for the colony organized by Henri Castro, which became present-day Castroville.
Excerpt from
William Keyse Rudolph, DMA Label copy (1959.18), July 2005.
NOTES
This note was started by Erin Pinon, summer 2016 and saved as #incomplete. EAS will submit this #draft after reviewing the associated objects/files. Erin also created a note for Gentilz but I am consolidating the information into the object note because the biography was based on an external web resource.
Object file has been reviewed (EAS 10/11/2016).
TMS file reviewed.
No education file for Gentilz.
Added existing label copy as a text entry for archival purposes. This label was also used as the exhibition label for Albright to Zinnias (2007).
No provenance, biblio, or pre-acquiisition exhibition information in TMS.
I moved the photo of the window from a possible Piction asset to a web resource and removed the %UMOpending tag.
CREDIT LINE SHOULD BE REVIEWED AND PROVENANCE UPDATED ACCORDINGLY:
Current credit line: Gift of Pauline A. Pinckney
Reason to change credit line: Letter from Bywaters, Dec 24, 1958- directed to Mrs. J. K. Berretta, San Antonio, TX- "Miss Pauline Pinckney of Austin has sent on to me for the Museum's permanent collection a drawing with watercolor by Gentilz which you have generously given to us." [Implication is that Pinckney is not the donor, but Berretta is?]
Constituent record: Jean Louis Théodore Gentilz
born-May 2, 1819- Paris
died- January 4, 1906- San Antonio, TX
trained- Paris- 1830s- Trained as draftsman, painter, and engineer at the Royal Free School of Art and Mathematics (now the National Higher School of Decorative Arts); studied under Raymond Auguste Quinsac Monvoisin and Eugene Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc.
worked- Texas (1844-1849)- hired by Henri Castro to be artist, surveyor, and promotor of the Castro colony.
worked- San Antonio (1849-1906)- Lived here with his wife, Marie Fargeix, his younger sister Henriette Adelaide, and friend/brother-in-law, Auguste Frétellière. Taught privately and at St. Mary's College (1860s-1894).
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Depicted- San Antonio NOTES on Mission- San José y San Miguel de Aguayo (full name of this mission)
Place of Origin- San Antonio
Process/materials
Drawing
ink wash on paper
Historical periods
1882
Individuals
Subject terms
Castroville (Texas)
surveyors
windows
architectural drawings
architecture
churches (institutions)
colonies
mission churches
missions (settlements)
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1959: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of Pauline A. Pinckney, Austin, TX [1], [2]
[1] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
[2] Correspondence from Jerry Bywaters to Mrs. J. K. Berretta, San Antonio Texas (December 24, 1958) suggests that Mrs. Berretta may have been the source of this gift to the museum and Ms. Pinckney made the physical delivery of the work to the DMFA. Correspondence in the Collections Records Object File.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- Mission San José San Antonio Rose Window~Look at a photo of this window on Wikimedia.
- Texas Primer: The Rose Window~Learn about the history (and mysteries) of the Mission San José's Rose Window in this Texas Monthly article by Mimi Swartz.
- La ventana de Rosa~Learn more about the source for this work through the Mission San José Church's website.
- Mission of San José~Find more information on the protection and restoration of Mission San José as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Jean Louis Théodore Gentilz~Read a biography of Gentilz by Dorothy Steinbomer Kendall available on the Handbook of Texas Online (published by the Texas State Historical Association).
- San Antonio, Painted by Gentilz~Learn more about Gentilz's career in Texas through this San Antonio Express-News review of an exhibition held at the San Antonio Museum of Art (2012).
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
- While enrolled at the Royal Free School of Art and Mathematics (now the National Higher School of Decorative Arts) in Paris, Gentilz studied under Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, an architect who became famous for his restorations (and alterations) of Medieval churches and castles.
- The Rose Window at Mission San Jose is nearly seven feet tall, but is only four and a half feet above the floor. It dates to the 1770s—a period when this sort of intricate carving and ironwork was extremely rare outside of Europe.
- The window's moniker is deceptively similar to the circular, stained glass windows featured in Gothic churches. Unlike the colorful patterns created by typical rose windows, Mission San Jose's Rose Window contains clear glass, and the origin of its name is unknown.
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1959.18
Category
rules_operator
AND
General Description
Théodore Gentilz created some of the earliest known scenes of Texas, such as this detailed architectural study of Mission San José, San Antonio's most celebrated mission. He first came to the state in 1844 as a surveyor for the colony organized by Henri Castro, which became present-day Castroville.
Excerpt from
William Keyse Rudolph, DMA Label copy (1959.18), July 2005.
Fun Facts
- While enrolled at the Royal Free School of Art and Mathematics (now the National Higher School of Decorative Arts) in Paris, Gentilz studied under Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, an architect who became famous for his restorations (and alterations) of Medieval churches and castles.
- The Rose Window at Mission San Jose is nearly seven feet tall, but is only four and a half feet above the floor. It dates to the 1770s—a period when this sort of intricate carving and ironwork was extremely rare outside of Europe.
- The window's moniker is deceptively similar to the circular, stained glass windows featured in Gothic churches. Unlike the colorful patterns created by typical rose windows, Mission San Jose's Rose Window contains clear glass, and the origin of its name is unknown.
Archival Resources
Web Resources
- Mission San José San Antonio Rose Window~Look at a photo of this window on Wikimedia.
- Texas Primer: The Rose Window~Learn about the history (and mysteries) of the Mission San José's Rose Window in this Texas Monthly article by Mimi Swartz.
- La ventana de Rosa~Learn more about the source for this work through the Mission San José Church's website.
- Mission of San José~Find more information on the protection and restoration of Mission San José as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Jean Louis Théodore Gentilz~Read a biography of Gentilz by Dorothy Steinbomer Kendall available on the Handbook of Texas Online (published by the Texas State Historical Association).
- San Antonio, Painted by Gentilz~Learn more about Gentilz's career in Texas through this San Antonio Express-News review of an exhibition held at the San Antonio Museum of Art (2012).
Notes
on Mission- San José y San Miguel de Aguayo (full name of this mission)
Place of Origin- San Antonio
Process/materials
Drawing
ink wash on paper
Historical periods
1882
Individuals
Subject terms
Castroville (Texas)
surveyors
windows
architectural drawings
architecture
churches (institutions)
colonies
mission churches
missions (settlements)
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
From 1959: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of Pauline A. Pinckney, Austin, TX [1], [2]
[1] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
[2] Correspondence from Jerry Bywaters to Mrs. J. K. Berretta, San Antonio Texas (December 24, 1958) suggests that Mrs. Berretta may have been the source of this gift to the museum and Ms. Pinckney made the physical delivery of the work to the DMFA. Correspondence in the Collections Records Object File.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1959.18
source file
object_notes_3_a-0201.xml.nores