José Benito Ortega was a prolific, itinerant santero whose carved and painted figures represent the “last flowering” of the classical tradition of saint making in northern New Mexico. Traveling on foot from his home in La Cueva to the villages east of Santa Fe in Mora, San Miguel, and Colfax Counties, he created bultos, sculptural images of popular saints and other holy personages for use in the devotional practices of the Hispanic households of the region. He also carved images for use in moradas, the local chapters or meetinghouses of the Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus Nazarene, more commonly known as the Penitentes. Providing mutual assistance and support for its members, the Brotherhood became known for its public acts of penitence during Holy Week in imitation of the Passion of Christ.

In contrast to his household saints, which generally are not much larger than two feet in height, Ortega’s Penitente sculptures are imposing figures that stand as high as five feet and most often depict the Crucified Christ. This bulto is a morada piece and is similar to others attributed to Ortega. William Wroth, the author of several authoritative studies of the santos of New Mexico, has observed that the artist’s treatment of the features of his figures “is virtually the same for every piece he made. . . . The eyes protrude and stare, the nose is quite large and slightly turned up, the chin is clearly defined, often slightly pointed.” In addition, the inverted V of the figure’s rib cage is common to many Ortega works, and the decorative patterning on the cross may also be found in other figures by the artist. Unlike earlier santeros, Ortega often used excessive amounts of gesso in the modeling of features, rather than carving them.

It is not clear whether Ortega worked alone or with family members or maintained a taller, or workshop. Although a nephew asserted that the artist did not have a helper, Wroth suggests the possibility of a workshop under Ortega’s direction. Identification has been made of two related groups of bultos from the Mora area that share many of the stylistic characteristics of Ortega’s work but appear to have been executed by other makers. In one of these groups, now referred to as the School of José Benito Ortega I, the faces of the carved figures “are longer and narrower than Ortega’s, with sharp, slender noses” and the torsos are elongated and narrow. The fact that at least one figure of the Crucified Christ associated with this school is shown with a distinctive rectangular loincloth almost identical to the one illustrated here may suggest that this bulto is the work of a follower of Ortega rather than of Ortega himself.

In 1907, after his wife’s death, Ortega left his home in La Cueva to take up residence with his children. Although he lived for another thirty-four years, he never carved another bulto.

Gerard C. Wertkin, "Bulto," in Stacy C. Hollander, American Anthem: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum (New York: Harry N. Abrams in association with American Folk Art Museum, 2001), 360-61.