Ex Voto; Holy Tribute for the Healing of a Son, Retablo, circa 1940

Ex Voto; Holy Tribute for the Healing of a Son. Oil on tin with ink, circa 1940 Anonymous Mexican artist with a contemporary custom frame hand-carved by artisan Michael Blatnik. Ex-voto is 8 x 6 ½ inches and outer frame size is 16 x 16 inches.

Damos gracias a la:STMA (la Santísima Virgen María): Virgen de Guadalupe por abernos de vuelto la Salud a mi hijo. Salvador Garcia y Maria Canelaz.
Arandazs, Jalisco.

Translation from Spanish; We give thanks to the STMA (the Blessed Virgin Mary) the Virgin of the Guadalupe for returning the health of my son. Salvador Garcia and Maria Canelaz, Arandas, Jalisco

What is an ex-Voto?
When a person survived a life-threatening situation or personal calamity, they would subsequently hire an artist to depict their story of diving intervention. They were created to offer thanks to the saint or deity who healed them and were considered an object given as a fulfilment of a vow. Although ex-votos originated as simple images of saints, eventually they were embellished with a short narrative describing the miracle that transpired. Once completed, these accounts would hang in the church as public professions of gratitude or faith. After a year, the vow was considered fulfilled and the ex-voto would be destroyed or sold.
Diego Rivera and Frida Kaho were avid collectors of ex-votos and because of their interest this wonderful form of folk art became popular among artists and aficionados alike.