Art and Faith in Mexico: The Nineteenth-Century Retablo Tradition - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0826323243 ISBN 13: 9780826323248

Publisher: University of New Mexico Press, 2001

Synopsis

Nineteenth-century Mexico was a period of unprecedented political turmoil. One result of this instability was that many religious practices moved from the church to the home, and the retablo art form--sacred paintings on tin--flourished.

With over 1,700 objects, New Mexico State University holds the largest collection of retablos of any museum in the United States. Eleven eminent Latin Americanists from the U.S. and Mexico have studied this collection and placed it in a broad cultural context. They have looked at the retablos from the standpoint of art history, history, anthropology, folk art, and religion to bring a new understanding of and appreciation for these paintings. This interdisciplinary approach brings together multiple influences in considering, for example, Baroque images as popular icons, Aztec gods and home altars, popular images in nineteenth-century Mexico, European and viceregal paintings, and bultos and santos from New Mexico. The richly varied retablo tradition continues to the present, making this volume a much-needed addition to the literature on the complex society that formed along the Camino Real between Mexico City and Santa Fe.

In addition to the essays, the book includes restoration philosophy and conservation methods, a glossary, chronology, maps, and a comprehensive section on the art and iconography of each object in the Art Gallery collection.

About this title

About the Authors

Elizabeth Netto Calil Zarur teaches art history at New Mexico State University.

Charles Muir Lovell is director of the Art Gallery at New Mexico State University.

From the Back Cover

Studies retablos, sacred paintings on tin, from the standpoint of art history, history, anthropology, folk art, and religion to bring a new understanding and appreciation.

Reviews

The tin retablo, or sacred painting on tin, combines Mexican and European influences to create a vital and unique art form that flourished in Mexico during the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, years of political turmoil that saw some religious practice moved from the church to the home. The richly varied retablo tradition continues to the present, making this book valuable in providing a current as well as a historic understanding of Hispanic culture in Mexico and New Mexico. With over 1700 objects, New Mexico State University (NMSU) holds the largest collection of retablos of any museum in the United States. NMSU art historian Zarur and NMSU gallery director Lovell have gathered 11 eminent Latin Americanists to study this collection from the standpoint of art history, history, anthropology, folk art, and religion and bring us a new appreciation of these paintings. In addition to essays and the catalog of works, the book includes 125 beautiful color plates and 64 halftones, discussions of restoration philosophy and conservation methods, a glossary, a chronology, maps, and a comprehensive section on the art and iconography of each object. Other books have been published on the subject, but since 1975 there has been no substantive scholarly research on the extensive NMSU collection. For all regional libraries, large public libraries, academic libraries, and specialized collections in art, anthropology, religion, or Latin American studies. Sylvia Andrews, Indiana State Lib., Indianapolis
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of New Mexico Press
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0826323243
• ISBN 13: 9780826323248
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 359
• Editor: Zarur Elizabeth Netto Calil, Lovell Charles Muir