1805 Spanish Colonial Retablo of Our Lady of Mount Carmel With Souls in Purgatory – Painted Wood Devotional Panel

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Authentic early 19th-century Spanish Colonial devotional retablo depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel crowned and holding the Christ Child, both … Read more Authentic early 19th-century Spanish Colonial devotional retablo depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel crowned and holding the Christ Child, both wearing crowns. The Virgin extends the Brown Scapular to the faithful while the Holy Souls in Purgatory reach upward beneath her mantle, reflecting one of the most beloved themes of Colonial Catholic art.

The composition is flanked by kneeling Carmelite saints and painted in rich earth tones with a vibrant blue background. Executed on a hand-hewn wooden panel with an arched top, the work displays the expected age-related craquelure, paint loss, surface wear, and oxidation acquired over more than two centuries. The reverse bears an old handwritten inscription dated 1805, adding to its historical interest.

This type of folk devotional painting was commonly produced in colonial Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador for churches and private chapels. See less