Latin America, Mexico, ca. 1885 CE. An extremely rare and finely painted retablo depicting Santa Lucia, a popular saint throughout Europe who is rarely found on tin paintings in Mexico. Saint Lucy was martyred because of her Christian beliefs. A fine and exceedingly rare example! Size: 13" x 9".

Santa Lucia is shown here in the traditional manner, as a young woman holding a palm leaf in her left hand and a small dish with two eyes boldly looking outward in her left hand. According to legend, she plucked out her eyes to relieve the suffering they caused a suitor of hers. However, it is more plausible that her name Lucia (light) inspired that depiction of eyes, as this symbol is interpreted as a lantern in European art. Saint Lucy is usually called upon to combat blindness; however, in Mexico Archangel Raphael is usually favored for this purpose, making this example quite unusual. Beyond this iconography, the painting demonstrates the artist's great skill in creating a naturalistic rendering of her face and hands as well as modeling the figure and her drapery. In addition, the landscape scene provides wonderful depth to the composition, the gorgeous cornflower blue skies in the background created to conjure impeccable aerial perspective.

Provenance: Ex-Historia Antiques, Santa Monica, CA

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#109218

Intact with paint in very good and complete condition. Only minor surface wear. A perforation at top middle for suspension.