Catholic Church Paintings

According to a property inventory done by the Coamo church in 1816, there were three oil paintings by don José Campeche (1751-1809): "Las Animas", "El Descendimiento" and "El Bautisterio". According to the inventory, the paintings were very old and "Las Animas" was in bad shape. Today only "El Bautisterio" and "Las Animas" are in the building. According to Coamo historian don Ramón Rivera Bermúdez, the "Las Animas" now in display is not the one mentioned in the 1816 inventory, but it was donated in 1888. It is popular belief that the "Las Animas" painting currently in display is by don Francisco Oller (1833-1917). According to legend, the beautiful blond lady in the lower-center of the painting was don Francisco's lover. The central upper arch of the altar displays a mural of Jesus in Getsemani, by Ponce artist Juan Ríos, done at the beginning of the 20th century.