New Mexico

Hispanic arts & crafts: bultos, colcha embroidery, pano art, retablos, santos, silverwork, tinwork, weaving, woodworking

Retablos

A retablo (or lamina) is a small oil painting on any variety of surface, typically a wood carving. Used to honor different saints of the Catholic Church, the retablo grew in popularity as the indigenous people of South America were converted by Catholic missionaries. Retablos are designated as “portable, flat, two-dimensional, painted wood or relief panel” designs.

Aside from being found behind the altar, similar ornamental structures are built and carved over facades and doorways. When one wanted to express gratitude they could give retablos that described “the miraculous deed of a saint to whom the petitioner turned to in a time of need” (Correa 113). All of the numerous saints depicted on the retablos were thought to each remedy an array of problems faced on a daily basis. People often called upon these saints to bless them for events such as harvests or feasts.

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