Lava rock rises in true French Gothic form at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, standing directly across the plaza from the main church at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, on the road between Santa Fe and Taos. Built in 1889 by Father Camilo Seux, a French priest who spent his own inheritance on its construction, the shrine was designed by Antoine and Projectus Mouly — the same architects behind the Santa Fe Cathedral and the Loretto Chapel — making it one of the only buildings of its kind in Pueblo country: a European Gothic form built entirely of volcanic rock rather than adobe.
Photography inside wasn't permitted, which shaped this piece into an exterior study by necessity rather than choice — the roofline, the bell tower and its cross, the rhythm of lancet windows along the nave, all caught under a low sun against a deep blue sky. What the camera couldn't reach inside, it found instead in the building's own form.
This is Paul Strand territory — the same commitment to monumental, high-contrast architectural directness that defines his New Mexico church work, applied here to a building whose material and French design set it apart from every other church in the region, Pueblo or otherwise.
Design & Styling
The warm volcanic stone and deep blue sky give this real architectural presence in Southwestern and contemporary interiors alike — a strong fit for spaces wanting weight and material specificity rather than a generic desert-church look.
Curated Pairings
For the same devotional stone tradition, different material: Pair with Twin Towers, Trampas, an adobe counterpart on the High Road to Taos.
For New Mexico mission architecture continuity: Complement with Enduring Forms, San Francisco de Asís in Ranchos de Taos.
Fine Art Presentation
Available as a signed fine art print on Photo Rag paper (framed or unframed), Chromaluxe Metal, framed canvas, and acrylic. Metal holds the deep blue sky and warm stone contrast especially well; for acrylic, TrueVue or low/anti-glare acrylic is recommended.
Note: Custom and oversized photographic prints are available. Please contact the studio directly to discuss custom framing, matting, or specialized museum glass options.
Lava rock rises in true French Gothic form at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, standing directly across the plaza from the main church at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, on the road between Santa Fe and Taos. Built in 1889 by Father Camilo Seux, a French priest who spent his own inheritance on its construction, the shrine was designed by Antoine and Projectus Mouly — the same architects behind the Santa Fe Cathedral and the Loretto Chapel — making it one of the only buildings of its kind in Pueblo country: a European Gothic form built entirely of volcanic rock rather than adobe.
Photography inside wasn't permitted, which shaped this piece into an exterior study by necessity rather than choice — the roofline, the bell tower and its cross, the rhythm of lancet windows along the nave, all caught under a low sun against a deep blue sky. What the camera couldn't reach inside, it found instead in the building's own form.
This is Paul Strand territory — the same commitment to monumental, high-contrast architectural directness that defines his New Mexico church work, applied here to a building whose material and French design set it apart from every other church in the region, Pueblo or otherwise.
Design & Styling
The warm volcanic stone and deep blue sky give this real architectural presence in Southwestern and contemporary interiors alike — a strong fit for spaces wanting weight and material specificity rather than a generic desert-church look.
Curated Pairings
For the same devotional stone tradition, different material: Pair with Twin Towers, Trampas, an adobe counterpart on the High Road to Taos.
For New Mexico mission architecture continuity: Complement with Enduring Forms, San Francisco de Asís in Ranchos de Taos.
Fine Art Presentation
Available as a signed fine art print on Photo Rag paper (framed or unframed), Chromaluxe Metal, framed canvas, and acrylic. Metal holds the deep blue sky and warm stone contrast especially well; for acrylic, TrueVue or low/anti-glare acrylic is recommended.
Note: Custom and oversized photographic prints are available. Please contact the studio directly to discuss custom framing, matting, or specialized museum glass options.
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