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

." . . valuable in providing a current as well as a historic understanding of Hispanic culture in Mexico and New Mexico. . . . beautiful color plates . . . For all regional libraries, large public libraries, academic libraries, and specialized collections in art, anthropology, religion, or Latin American studies." . . . a well-balanced and multifaceted perspective . . . The color plates are exquisite . . . "Art and Faith in Mexico" is an indispensable reference on the current and vibrant religious art form of the retablo. . . . a wonderful book. . . . valuable in providing a current as well as a historic understanding of Hispanic culture in Mexico and New Mexico. . . . beautiful color plates . . . For all regional libraries, large public libraries, academic libraries, and specialized collections in art, anthropology, religion, or Latin American studies. This splendid, sumptuous book . . . is a landmark in the scholarly presentation of the retablo . . . an ambitious project . . . it will certainly be accepted as the standard against which all other similar works are measured. This outstanding example of fine production values reflects, the care with which the work was prepared. . . . clear, concise, and well-researched essays . . .This volume has a richness of information . . . a welcome addition to the few studies dedicated to this important artistic genre.

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 US 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. In addition to 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.