Because of his love of photography, we have many formal and informal pictures of Candelario and Herlinda. These portraits were taken during the years they lived in Aguascalientes.
It seems that in 1905, during Candelario's twenty-eighth year, he joined his cousin, Refugio Reyes Rivas, at the city of Aguascalientes to participate in several large commissions from the municipal government. Named after its hot springs, the colonial city of Aguascalientes is situated in the very center of Mexico and remains rich in colonial period art and architecture. His cousin was an established architect, and as he secured numerous commissions in the central area of the city, he would contract Candelario for the interior art work.
In 1906, the city's well known financier, Antonio Vargas, commissioned Refugio Reyes Rivas to design a magnificent church to honor the illustrious Franciscan priest Saint Anthony. With these funds, Reyes paid Candelarios commission to complete the sometimes odd-shaped circular murals. The twelve murals depict famous events in the life of St. Anthony, and lend themselves very much to story- telling, especially for parents and school teachers. Unbelievably, all were completed in 1907.
Sadly, we believe all the murals in the municipal buildings have long been lost or destroyed during the many building renovations through out the years.
The Templo de San Antonio, still a popular place for weddings, the beautiful church is well maintained, and identified as a prominent tourist attraction. It is within walking distance of the city's central plaza. |
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Candelario Rivas, at thirty, was well received by the social circles of Aguascalientes. On a number of occasions, he attended the grand opening of municipal buildings which featured his new murals. He often attended these events alone, as Herlinda preferred to stay home with the children, never trusting anyone with their care.
Three of Candelario Rivas' most beautiful murals were painted in the Templo del Carmen in what is today known as the historic district of the city of Querétaro. The two larger murals are located on each side of the altar, and are clearly signed and dated 1914. Today, the Templo del Carmen remains a popular neighborhood church in the robust city of Querétaro. The Rivas family very much enjoyed their stay in the city, extremely rich in art and architecture.