Altarpiece of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Guatemala, circa 1750-1780
Mirror plate, carved and gilded wood and oil on metal sheet
60 x 46.5 x 8.5 cm
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This small-scale retablo adapts the monumental format of the Hispano-American altarpiece for private devotion. At its center stands the Virgin of Guadalupe, flanked by Saint Michael and Saint Joseph holding the Christ Child. Above appear the Trinity and the Sacred Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, reflecting the growing eighteenth-century devotion to the Holy Family. The use of mirror panels heightens the brilliance of the gilded relief and enhances the work’s intimate yet visually striking devotional character.
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