Self-Portait as a Crowned Nun

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=131 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="3" WIDTH="107" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#C0C0C0" FRAME="HSIDES" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 27 WIDTH="99"><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="J. 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Michael Walker</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 14 WIDTH="822"><div> <IMG SRC="2cfbc020.png" border=0 width="444" height="2" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="3" WIDTH="837" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#C0C0C0" FRAME="BOX" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 536 WIDTH="9"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="536" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="9" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="3386b130.jpg" border=0 width="363" height="531" ALT="Autoretrato como Monja Coronada, or Self-Portrait as a Crowned Nun, drawing by Los Angeles artist J Michael Walker" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="9"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="536" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="9" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="387" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 60 WIDTH="381"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="60" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="381" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 60 WIDTH="381"><div> As soon as I first saw the images of mid-eighteenth to mid-nineteenth century portrayals of "Monjas Coronadas" (Crowned Nuns), I knew I had to do something on the theme.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 97 WIDTH="381"><div> This remarkable genre of Mexican painting commemorated a young lady's sacred vow - her "marriage" to God - as she was dressed in flowing robes of her chosen Order, holding holy objects and candles, under a remarkable crown of silver, gold, flowers, and wax decorations.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 77 WIDTH="381"><div> I chose to create an over-the-top self-portrait as a Valentine to my wife, Mimi, as a reaffirmation of our vows; adding fresh fruit and an ear of corn to the traditional flowers; as well as  Loteria cards, some traditional toys, and a parrot.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 58 WIDTH="381"><div> The text at bottom is the title to a lovely song made popular by the traditional Mexican Trio Los Panchos; references to the lyrics appear throughout the drawing.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="381"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="20" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="381" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> Link to information on "<A HREF="http://www.si.edu/opa/insideresearch2/articles/V10_Nuns.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.si.edu/opa/insideresearch2/ar"><U>Monjas Coronadas</U></A>"</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> .</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="0"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="536" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="0" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 122 WIDTH="9"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="122" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="9" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="3" WIDTH="365" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#C0C0C0" FRAME="BOX" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFBF0 > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 25 ><NOBR><div> Self-Portait as a Crowned Nun</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 57 ><NOBR><div> by J Michael Walker, 1994</div> <div> Color pencil on paper, 74" high x 50" wide</div> <div> Private collection</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="9"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="122" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="9" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="418"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="122" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="418" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="0"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="122" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="0" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 14 WIDTH="886"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="886" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>