Mexican Folk Retablos - Masterpieces on Tin (Cloth Edition)

Second Printing 1979. From the Back Cover:

First published in 1974, this study of religious paintings on tin—an art that flourished in Mexico in the nineteenth century-has never been surpassed. It remains an important resource for folk art scholars and enthusiasts both; this revised edition includes the most current information on the iconography of the saints.

The first part of the book is given to an analysis of folk retablo painting and includes a study of the materials employed by the folk artists, how and why they painted, a classification of their productions according to color and technique, and the extent of this art form in both space and time. The second part concentrates on iconography and on why certain images of Christ, Mary, and the saints were venerated. The third part examines ex-votos, small images painted to commemorate the donor's gratitude for a particular favor or miracle.

Throughout, the text is superbly illustrated with color plates and detailed descriptions and commentaries on each image.

“Here then, on tin, is another aspect of the remarkable Mexican folk tradition with its verve and freshness, its naive audacity and persevering ethos. Ms. Giffords has made a lasting contribution to the study of this graceful and lost art. ”—Mankind