19th C. Mexican Folk Art Retablo - Painting on Tin - Antique Carved Frame - 18" For Sale

The retablo was an art form that reached its pinnacle of popularity in the last quarter of the 19th century. The small, devotional oil paintings on tin or wood, were typically used as the focal point of a home altar or shrine.Mostly untrained artists from the provinces worked to produce and sell these sacred images of saints, and this image, "Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners" was one of the most popular.This portrait is a primitive copy of an 18th-century painting by an Italian Jesuit, which was brought to Mexico by the Spanish. Mary is shown amid clouds, wearing a red robe and blue mantle, tenderly holding the Christ Child.Mary is not seen as the source of forgiveness—which comes through her Son—but as a powerful intercessor. Believers also would call upon her to help them avoid temptation and find shelter, especially at the "hour of death."painting on tin: 10" x 14"
frame: 14" x 18" x 1.25"