Antique Mexican Retablo Holy Family Oil on Tin Folk Art Religious 10x7 For Sale

This antique devotional painting measures approximately 10” x 7” and is hand painted directly onto a thin metal sheet. The scene depicts Mary, Saint Joseph and the young Christ Child beneath a descending dove representing the Holy Spirit. Joseph carries flowering branches, while the figures are surrounded by halos and richly colored red, green, yellow and blue robes. Numerous old nail holes around the edges suggest the piece may once have been attached directly to a wall, shrine or devotional setting.

Mexican retablos were created as intimate religious images for churches, home altars and personal devotion, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries and into the early 20th century. Unlike mass-produced religious prints, each hand-painted retablo has its own individual folk-art character. This example is especially appealing for its Holy Family subject, strong original colors, dove imagery, hand-painted flowers and heavily aged metal surface. There is extensive paint loss, oxidation, surface spotting, scratches and edge wear consistent with considerable age; I would not restore or clean it, as collectors generally value this original patina.

Box 17-4.8