Engraving

NameRetablo

MediumRio Grande pine panel, hand adzed

Dimensions22.5 x 13.2 x 1 to 1.8 cm thick

Credit LineGift of the Historical Society of New Mexico

Object numberA5.1952.80

ProvenanceSame source as A5.1952.55: Purchased with a lot or retablos form Julius Gans, June 1952

DescriptionHas 1/2 circle at top with 8 petals carved in low relief, (stylized shell), and outer row of small carved points. The title page of a book was pasted on the board covering all of the rectangular area; probably cropping the page to fit panel. Between paper losses and overlayers of opaque matter this much of the printed matter is legible: (traces of upper line illegible., ...para ...q(ue?) ...las...para / S......sensa suys (or sin....suya?)/ V Est POR EL PADRE FRAY LORENZO Zamora Monje del Orden del.......de F......lar observ...../ (line below image), (in Gothic letters), .....illeg.,/(below rule), En Madrid por .....de la ....?/ last line may be letters or decorations.
The image, much worn, appears to be of the Guadalupe as it is a figure in flaming nimbus with small cherub and crescent at feet, but not easily made out in upper part. It is framed by a plain band and outer band made of a repeated printer's ornament. What looks like bold figures are at right and left of frame at halfway point, but illegible.
The illegibility is due to the fact that the page was colored in the usual tempera pigments of santeros, with red border on image, and red and blue dashes or strokes forming a coarse larger frame to the image, all over the printed areas. Opaque dark red was used as an outer border. The whole was then, or later, heavily varnished so that all surfaces were as dark as mahogany wood. This procedure strongly confirms the theory that santo makers and their patrons were for the most part analphabetic, so that only a graphic image was of interest to them; inscriptions having no meaning. This theory is plausible to anyone familiar with educational statistics in New Mexico until the past 25 years, but is resented or denied in some quarters. The page is printed in italics, Roman block letters, slanting block letters, gothic letters, and the last line is that peculiarly Spanish type which was used for generations, a clear upper and lower case like clerical script, using vv and long s. Ornament and types suggest that this was an 18th century book, printed in Madrid. If it were possible to remove the rest of the tempers and varnish more lettering remains to be read. 1930 sales price $5.00 (??) November 1977, D. Adams: REmoved page from panel. Cleaned and bleached center picture only, but this is so worn that it could not be made clear. Date 1616 now visible at right center. Painted areas treated with soluble nylon to prevent flaking off. The paper was de-acidified, backed with mending tissue and buffered board.