"Monumental multi-authored work pays tribute to Plácido Molina Barbery, who championed the conservation of the extant Jesuit mission churches in the prov. of Chiquitos, now the Santa Cruz dept. Contains a wealth of documentation pertaining to the churches of San Javier, San Ignacio (demolished in 1948), San Miguel, San Rafael, San José, Santa Ana, Santiago, Santo Corazón, San Juan, and Concepción, including the publication of the complete Photographic Archive of Chiquitos consisting of 467 b/w photographs. Individual chapters provide a comprehensive view of mission life during the period of Jesuit administration (1691-1767 and thereafter). Features several splendid, well-illustrated essays dealing specifically with the art, architecture, and urbanism of the missions. Specially noteworthy is the photographic essay, 'Visiones de la utopía hoy' (p. 565-549) compiled by Querejazu with beautiful color plates documenting art and architecture of mission churches today. Excellent companion to Parejas Moreno and Suárez Salas' Chiquito: historia de una utopía (see HLAS 56:202) and Bösl's Una joya en la selva boliviana: la restauración del templo colonial de Concepción (see HLAS 56:181). See also item #bi 97015335#. Exhaustive bibliography. Indispensable reference work"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 58.