- CountryUS
- Town:NM Santa Fe
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Year of creation:1992
- Rider(s):Peralta, Pedro de
(1584 – 1666), Spanish colonial official who established Santa Fe as the capital of New Mexico. In 1609 the viceroy of Mexico appointed him to the post of governor of New Mexico. Peralta’s authority as governor of New Mexico was challenged by the Franciscan missionaries. In 1612 one of the missionaries, Fray Isidrio de Ordoñez, declared Peralta a “schismatic heretic” and proclaimed that he was excommunicated. A short time thereafter, Peralta was arrested and was imprisoned for almost a year, until he sent word of his situation to the viceroy, who ordered his release.
- Sculptor(s):McGerry, Dave
(1958 – 2013) was an American sculptor.Among the permanent public installations is one that may be seen in Santa Fe’s Grant Park. At 16, he received a scholarship to spend a year in Italy studying the human form and the art of bronze casting. Shortly after his return to the U.S., Dave began working at a Santa Fe foundry, and began a friendship with a Sioux artist that contributed significantly to Dave’s interest in sculpting the American Indian. Subsequently, Dave was adopted into the Ogala Sioux tribe and given the name Wambalee Tanka, “Big Eagle.” But his adopted family on the reservation are more likely to refer to him as “Big Red Ears” because of his predilection for soaking up tales of their ancestors. A McGary bronze is a unique combination of pure American West and classic Renaissance art form of Italy.
The 14-foot-high work depicts Don Pedro de Peralta and his surveyor as they lay out early Santa Fe.
photographers unknown
