Latin America, Mexico, ca. late 19th to 20th century CE. A beautiful Mexican retablo featuring a touching depiction of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and the Christ Child, also known as La Sagrada Familia in Spanish or The Holy Family in English, all skillfully hand-painted on a sheet of tin-coated iron. Mexicans revered the saintly family as an ideal to which they aspired, and the subject was the vision of the Franciscan meditation inspired by the Counter-Reformation. This composition has its roots in the esteemed Spanish artist Bartolome Esteban Murillo's (Spanish, 1618 to 1682) painting of "Return of the Holy Family from Egypt" or "The Two Trinities" in the National Museum of Sweden. In accordance with this prototype, Christ is shown as a young child walking between his parents, who both gaze upon him with adoration. Mary wears a red gown with a blue mantle, while Joseph is traditionally dressed in green and yellow and carries the blossoming staff. Size: 10" W x 14.1" H (25.4 cm x 35.8 cm)

Above the sacred trio is a dove representing the Holy Spirit and the image of God the Father who piers down on them from Heaven. The triangle that crowns God's head is a reference to the 2 trinities that are represented in this painting; on one hand we have the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child, while on the other hand there is the traditional Holy Trinity of God the Father, the Holy Ghost, and Christ. The positioning of these 2 trinities on the horizontal and vertical planes position the heavenly and earthly spheres together in a pattern that was common throughout the 16th century.

The artistry of this retablo reveals several influences. First off, the draftsmanship belies the Mexican folk-art penchant for almost pantomime-like gestures. Akin to Byzantine mosaics, the figures virtually float and seem to be placed before a backdrop of sorts. On the other hand, if one looks closely at the figures' hands and faces, it becomes evident that the artist was aspiring to more sophisticated painting techniques such as modeling and chiaroscuro. The composition has a pleasing symmetry and balanced rhythm. Overall, this is a poignant and skillfully rendered example of a La Sagrada Familia retablo with rich light and dark color contrasts in the costumes and an interesting play of diagonals, especially when one studies the gestures of the three figures. While the format may have been inspired by a European composition, the artist made the composition his own by executing strong design and creating a palpable mood.

Provenance: private Ventura County, California, USA collection

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#168793

Retablo shows expected wear with some darkening, scuffs, abraded areas, stains, and indentations commensurate with age. Some small areas of loss to pigments, as well as light bending, folding, and wrinkling to metal. Perforations at peripheries from earlier display. Otherwise, intact and excellent with great remaining pigments and nice patina.