Santa Cruz, Tlaxcala, Santa Inés nave retablo

The church of Santa Inés in Santa Cruz, Tlaxcala, is known for its ambitious churrigueresque high altar, presbitery paintings, and cupola relief work. A less studied nave retablo dedicated to St. Helena and the True Cross. Helena is depicted in sculpture as the central figure in the lower tier, flanked by paintings (and predellas below) of the search for the True Cross. In the second story of the altarpiece the narrative of the three paintings presumably precedes the chronology of the lower images, and may be interpreted as follows:

The left side painting shows Helena and her entourage kneeling before a cross, perhaps signifying the conversion of Helena to Christianity. In the central panel two angels deliver the True Cross to Helena with onlookers in the background. Although shown awake, this could be a refence to the Dream of St. Helena in which she was divinely directed to go to the Holy Land in search of the Cross. To the right appear to be Emperor Constantine holding onto the Cross beside
Saint Sylvester, Pope during the majority of his reign.

entire altarpiece


lower central figure: St. Helena with the True Cross