Latin America, Mexico, 1951. A Mexican ex voto hand-painted on heavy gauge tin and created to give thanks to San Juan de los Lagos for surviving a grave illness. The composition presents one Amado Torres (author of this ex voto) seriously ill and in bed with the Virgin surrounded by angels above at the upper right. The inscription translates, "I give thanks to the esteemed Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos (of the lakes) for saving me from a dangerous illness. Amado Torres - March 14, 1951" All is delineated in a vibrant palette of blue, russet, black, and white against a black ground. Size: 14" L x 9.8" W (35.6 cm x 24.9 cm)
Ex-votos are little story paintings indicative of healing or blessing popular in Mexican visual culture. This tradition was inspired by the Greeks and was brought to the New World by the Spaniards. These votive paintings were hung in a church or home in order to celebrate and give thanks for the recovery of an individual from an illness or dangerous situation. Hence, ex-votos represent the spiritual or physical gains received. These paintings include hand painted passages that relate the details of the cure or the rescue. Typically, however, this commentary is replete with regional dialect and difficult to translate. Nevertheless, if one is familiar with the Spanish language, you will likely get the gist of these anecdotal paintings.
Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection acquired 2020; recovered by diver off the coast of Georgia, USA
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#159643
Condition
Slight bending to overall form and some corners, with light abrasions and fading to pigmentation, and one small perforation along right side near Virgin, otherwise intact and very good. Nice remains of pigment across front.