Latin America, Mexico, dated 1912. A particularly dramatic ex voto painted on heavy gauge tin. The composition presents a mustachioed man finely dressed in a red suit, white shirt, and wide-brimmed sombrero who is pointing a pistol at a woman wearing a red veil and long green striped dress. The ex voto is dedicated to Santo Nino de Atocha depicted in his traditional pilgrim attire at the upper right. The inscription below roughly translates, "I dedicate this little retablo to Santo Nino de Atocha who saved me from my husband who wanted to kill me, because evil tongues had told him gossip about me. Erminia Romero Mexico 1912." Size: 12.25" L x 7.5" W (31.1 cm x 19 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: ex-private Pennsylvania, USA collection
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#149049
Condition
Perforation at top center for suspension. Normal surface wear with scuffs and some darkening commensurate with age. Normal indentations and waviness to the metal. Imagery and inscription are still vivid.