Alonso-Pérez was born into a family of artists in 1881 in Saragossa, a city with a richly diverse history. Not only was it part of the Roman Empire, but it also was identified with the first century Christian miracle of the Virgin Mary appearing to Saint James the Great by standing atop a pillar in the town center. Beginning in 712, it was settled by the Moors who remained there until driven out by Christian armies four centuries later. As the central city of Aragon, it was also a target for the invading Napoleonic army in 1808. Such a mixture of local heritages must have offered the young Pérez exceptional opportunities for observing the remains of many cultural traditions. Perhaps more important for...