Dionicio Rodríguez (1891–1955) was a Mexican-born artist and architect whose work can be seen in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas, as well as Washington, D.C., and Mexico City.
His work is noted for its unique style of concrete construction that imitates wood, known as Faux Bois (French for false wood). Gates, benches and artificial rock formations were created by the artist to invite visitors to rest or explore the landscape.
Rodríguez was born on April 11, 1891, in Toluca, State of Mexico, in Mexico to Catarino Rodríguez and Luz Alegria de Rodríguez. His family moved to Mexico City when he was young. When he was older, he worked with his father and brother as a bricklayer.[4] At one time he worked with Pedro Ximénez, whose wife, Beatrice, would go on to become a cement sculptor of note herself.[5]
For the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio, Rodríguez replicated a JapaneseTorii gate at the entrance to the gardens. This piece was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005
With the rise of anti-Japanese sentiment of World War II in the 1940s, the gardens were renamed the Chinese Tea Gardens. In 1984, the city restored the original "Japanese Tea Garden" designation in a ceremony.
At least eight of his other sculptures in San Antonio: the Buckeye Park Gate; the Bridge in Brackenridge Park; the Fence at Alamo Cement Company; the Fountain at Alamo Cement Company; the Jacala Restaurant; locations in Miraflores Park; the Stations of the Cross and Grotto at the Shrine of St. Anthony de Padua; the Trolley Stop in Alamo Heights, were also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 and 2005
Working in Cedar Hill Cemetery just outside Washington, D.C., in suburban Suitland, Maryland, in 1936 and 1937, Rodríguez built numerous sculptural pieces, including a fallen tree bench, a tiled block bench, two bridges with branch railings and log decks, a tree shelter, and an Annie Laurie Wishing Chair.[7]
Crystal Shrine Grottoedit
Construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began in 1938. The grotto is a 60-foot (18.3-meter) deep, hand-built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery, filled with five tons (4.5 metric tons) of quartzcrystal, hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto.[6] The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of "Christ's Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection". Rodríguez' sculptures and the Crystal Shrine Grotto in the Memorial Park Cemetery are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[1]
Woodlawn Garden of Memoriesedit
At least five of the sculptural pieces in the Woodlawn Garden of Memories in Houston are the work of Rodriguez circa 1940: the 25-foot (7.6-meter) tall cross and its surrounding four benches; a flower planter basket; a 60-foot (18.3-meter) long fallen tree bench; and an Annie Laurie Wishing Chair.
^Julie Vosmik (October 9, 1986). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: The Arkansas Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez".
^Patsy Light and Maria Pfeiffer (2004). "National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation: Sculpture by Dionicio Rodriguez in Texas".
^ abPatsy Pittman Light. Capturing Nature: The Cement Sculpture of Dionicio Rodriquez. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, 2008. p 19.
^KENDALL, CURLEE (15 June 2010). "XIMENEZ, BEATRICE VALDEZ". Retrieved 24 February 2017.
Capturing Nature: The Cement Sculpture of Dionicio Rodriguez, a book about Rodriguez's work
Studio Cortes, the professional website of Carlos Cortes, great-nephew of Dionicio Rodriguez, who is carrying on the family artistic tradition
October 27, 2023
dionicio, rodriguez, dionicio, rodríguez, 1891, 1955, mexican, born, artist, architect, whose, work, seen, alabama, arkansas, illinois, maryland, michigan, mexico, tennessee, texas, well, washington, mexico, city, entrance, japanese, gardens, antonio, texashis. Dionicio Rodriguez 1891 1955 was a Mexican born artist and architect whose work can be seen in Alabama Arkansas Illinois Maryland Michigan New Mexico Tennessee and Texas as well as Washington D C and Mexico City Entrance of the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio TexasHis work is noted for its unique style of concrete construction that imitates wood known as Faux Bois French for false wood Gates benches and artificial rock formations were created by the artist to invite visitors to rest or explore the landscape Many of his major works of art are listed in the National Register of Historic Places 1 2 3 Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 2 1 San Antonio 2 2 Memorial Park Cemetery 2 3 Cedar Hill Cemetery 2 4 Crystal Shrine Grotto 2 5 Woodlawn Garden of Memories 2 6 Other works 3 Further reading 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBiography editRodriguez was born on April 11 1891 in Toluca State of Mexico in Mexico to Catarino Rodriguez and Luz Alegria de Rodriguez His family moved to Mexico City when he was young When he was older he worked with his father and brother as a bricklayer 4 At one time he worked with Pedro Ximenez whose wife Beatrice would go on to become a cement sculptor of note herself 5 Rodriguez left Mexico City in the early 1920s for Monterrey He moved on to Laredo Texas and then to San Antonio arriving in about 1924 4 Rodriguez died in San Antonio on December 16 1955 and was buried in San Fernando Archdiocesan Cemetery He had no immediate survivors Works editSan Antonio edit Main article San Antonio Japanese Tea Gardens For the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio Rodriguez replicated a Japanese Torii gate at the entrance to the gardens This piece was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005With the rise of anti Japanese sentiment of World War II in the 1940s the gardens were renamed the Chinese Tea Gardens In 1984 the city restored the original Japanese Tea Garden designation in a ceremony At least eight of his other sculptures in San Antonio the Buckeye Park Gate the Bridge in Brackenridge Park the Fence at Alamo Cement Company the Fountain at Alamo Cement Company the Jacala Restaurant locations in Miraflores Park the Stations of the Cross and Grotto at the Shrine of St Anthony de Padua the Trolley Stop in Alamo Heights were also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 and 2005 Memorial Park Cemetery edit nbsp Crystal Shrine Grotto in the Memorial Park Cemetery Memphis Tennessee 2007Main article Memorial Park Cemetery Memphis Tennessee In 1935 Rodriguez was hired to beautify the Memorial Park Cemetery Memphis Tennessee with sculptures Annie Laurie Wishing Chair Broken Tree Bench Abrahams Oak Pool of Hebron and Cave of Machpelah are some of the most important sculptures that can be found throughout the cemetery 6 Cedar Hill Cemetery edit Main article Cedar Hill Cemetery Suitland Maryland Working in Cedar Hill Cemetery just outside Washington D C in suburban Suitland Maryland in 1936 and 1937 Rodriguez built numerous sculptural pieces including a fallen tree bench a tiled block bench two bridges with branch railings and log decks a tree shelter and an Annie Laurie Wishing Chair 7 Crystal Shrine Grotto edit Construction of the Crystal Shrine Grotto began in 1938 The grotto is a 60 foot 18 3 meter deep hand built cave in a hillside near the center of the cemetery filled with five tons 4 5 metric tons of quartz crystal hence the name Crystal Shrine Grotto 6 The shrines in the grotto illustrate the stages of Christ s Journey on the Earth from Birth to Resurrection Rodriguez sculptures and the Crystal Shrine Grotto in the Memorial Park Cemetery are listed in the National Register of Historic Places 1 Woodlawn Garden of Memories edit At least five of the sculptural pieces in the Woodlawn Garden of Memories in Houston are the work of Rodriguez circa 1940 the 25 foot 7 6 meter tall cross and its surrounding four benches a flower planter basket a 60 foot 18 3 meter long fallen tree bench and an Annie Laurie Wishing Chair Other works edit Aviary at the Houston Zoo 1513 N McGregor Houston TX NRHP listed Buckeye Park Gate 1600 W Wildwood San Antonio TX NRHP listed Chinese Sunken Garden Gate Brackenridge Park 400 N St Mary s St San Antonio TX NRHP listed Couchwood 601 Couchwood Rd Shorewood Hills AR NRHP listed Crestview Park Crestview and Cherry Hill Drives North Little Rock AR NRHP listed Dionicio Rodriguez Bridge in Brackenridge Park 400 N St Mary s St San Antonio TX NRHP listed Eddingston Court 3300 Proctor St Port Arthur TX NRHP listed Elmwood Cemetery 600 Martin Luther King Jr Dr Birmingham AL Fence at Alamo Cement Company 7300 Jones Maltsberger Rd San Antonio TX NRHP listed Fountain at Alamo Cement Company 7300 Jones Maltsberger Rd San Antonio TX NRHP listed Gate Fence and Hollow Tree Shelter Designed by Dionicio Rodriguez 320 Oak St Clayton NM NRHP listed Gazebo for Albert Steves 105 FM 473 at east portion of property Comfort TX NRHP listed Gazebo for James Richard Marmion 1214 County Rd Sweeny TX NRHP listed Jacala Restaurant 2702 N St Mary s St San Antonio TX NRHP listed Lakewood Park Address Restricted North Little Rock AR NRHP listed Little Switzerland Address Restricted Shorewood Hills AR NRHP listed Miraflores Park seven works 1184 E Hildebrand Ave San Antonio TX NRHP listed Palapa Table for James Richard Marmion 1214 County Rd Sweeny TX NRHP listed T R Pugh Memorial Park 3800 Lakeshore Drive North Little Rock AR NRHP listed Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery 5668 Poplar Ave Memphis TN NRHP listed Stations of the Cross and Grotto at the Shrine of St Anthony de Padua grotto and 14 stations 100 Peter Baque Rd San Antonio TX NRHP listed Trolley Stop in Alamo Heights 4900 blk of Broadway Alamo Heights TX NRHP listed Woodlawn Garden of Memories Cemetery 1101 Antoine Houston TX NRHP listedFurther reading editLight Patsy Pittman 2008 Capturing Nature The Cement Sculpture of Dionicio Rodriguez Texas A amp M University Press ISBN 978 1 58544 610 0 See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dionicio Rodriguez References edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service January 23 2007 Julie Vosmik October 9 1986 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination The Arkansas Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez Patsy Light and Maria Pfeiffer 2004 National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Sculpture by Dionicio Rodriguez in Texas a b Patsy Pittman Light Capturing Nature The Cement Sculpture of Dionicio Rodriquez Texas A amp M University Press College Station 2008 p 19 KENDALL CURLEE 15 June 2010 XIMENEZ BEATRICE VALDEZ Retrieved 24 February 2017 a b http www memorialparkfuneralandcemetery com history aspx Archived 2008 01 17 at the Wayback Machine Memorial Park Cemetery website The Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez Cedar Hill Cemetery 4111 Pennsylvania Avenue Suitland MD 20746 20 Jan 2014 External links edithttp encyclopediaofarkansas net encyclopedia entry detail aspx entryID 503 EncyclopediaOfArkansas net Capturing Nature The Cement Sculpture of Dionicio Rodriguez a book about Rodriguez s work Studio Cortes the professional website of Carlos Cortes great nephew of Dionicio Rodriguez who is carrying on the family artistic tradition Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dionicio Rodriguez amp oldid 1149496914, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
