Retablo - Historical Usage

Historical Usage

Aside from being found behind the altar, "similar ornamental structures are built and carved over facades and doorways" (Fernandez 23), called overdoors. Labeling ex-votos as retablos can be traced back to the early 18th century from a man named Robert Montenegro. He published a collection of votive paintings that was dated 1781. He was thanking Nuestra Señora de Dolores de Xaltocan for renewing the people’s health after a severe illness. On the bottom of the retablo left, he inscribed a message that read "en cuia memoria dedica a su Magestad este Retablo" (in whose memory he dedicates to her Majesty this retablo) (Durand, 5).

The oil painted retablos generated the need for "small retablo factories" to be established in order to "reproduce the same images" which were then "sold to devout believers who displayed them in home altars to honor their patron Saints." Not only were the retablos purchased by those wanting to show devotion to their patron saints, they were also given when the saints were there for their devotees in hard times. 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). People call upon these saints for aid with rain, harvests or other outcomes. For example, if a farmer needs rain for his crops he might pray for rain. After the rain comes, a retablo might be created to give thanks to San Ysidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. He is "venerated for good weather, agricultural issues and prosperous crops" (Eddy, 1). That figure would most likely be kept in the farmer's house. Each time rain was needed in the future, that farmer might pray in front of that retablo (Eddy, 1). These traditions are by no means exclusive to Latin America, but are found in all Roman Catholic countries, as well as in classical paganism and many other religions. By the 19th century, the process of lithography became very popular for devotional retablos, replacing earlier printmaking methods.