Description:

Latin American, Mexico, ca. 1951 CE. A small ex-voto depicting a gentleman praying to 'Our Lord of the Rays'. Christ on the Cross is depicted quite dramatically with countless rays of light symbolizing rays of hope emanating from the cross. The text below generally translates, "I give infinite thanks to Our Lord of the Rays for the great miracle that he made me and in gratitude I place the present. Felix Marquez Villanueva, Zacatecas, May 22, 1051." This translation is attached on verso. The ex-voto is signed by "Pe Montallo" on the lower right. Size: 6-1/2" x 4-3/4" (16.5 x 12.1 cm).

Ex-votos are narrative 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 placed adjacent to an image in order to celebrate and give thanks for the recovery of the donor from an illness or dangerous situation. In essence, ex-votos represent the spiritual or physical gains received by the donor. These paintings include hand painted passages that relate the details of the cure or the rescue. Oftentimes, however, this commentary is replete with regional dialect and difficult to translate. Nevertheless, if you are familiar with the Spanish language, you will probably get the gyst of these anecdotal paintings.

Provenance: Ex-Historia Antiques, James Caswell, Santa Monica, CA.

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#109733

  • Condition: Surface wear and bending. Some paint loss as shown.

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February 16, 2016 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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