When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Impressive large vintage Peruvian Ayacucho retablo, also known as a Cajón de San Marcos, featuring an exceptionally detailed two-level scene filled with dozens of individually modeled and hand-painted figures.
The hinged wooden shrine opens to reveal a lively vision of traditional Andean community life. Musicians play string and wind instruments while villagers, herders, animals, cactus plants, and religious imagery crowd the colorful interior. Each figure was formed and painted by hand, giving the work tremendous personality and unmistakable folk-art character.
Retablos of this type developed in the Ayacucho region of Peru from portable religious altars carried through the Andes. The traditional Cajón de San Marcos was associated with herding communities, livestock ceremonies, and appeals for divine protection. Over time, retablo artists expanded the form to portray festivals and everyday rural life.
This substantial example is especially impressive for its large population of figures, two-tier construction, expressive modeling, hand-painted floral doors, and rich narrative detail. The figures appear to be fashioned from a traditional modeled composition, possibly plaster and/or potato-based paste, housed within a painted wooden cabinet.
An old handwritten collector note remains attached to the back. It identifies the piece as Peruvian and discusses the customary association between these retablos, Saint Mark, herders, and livestock. Additional faded writing and inventory-style numbers are visible on the reverse. No confirmed artist signature has been located; the maker is listed as unknown.
MEASUREMENTS:14 inches tall x 9 inches wide x 3.5 inches deep when closed.
CONDITION:Vintage handmade condition with age-related surface wear, paint loss and rubbing along edges, dust/soiling, discoloration, and small chips or possible losses among the many delicate modeled elements. The doors remain attached. The paper note and tape on the back show age. Handmade irregularities are inherent to the piece. Please enlarge and inspect every photograph, as the photos form an important part of the description. Sold as found and as shown.
A striking and highly decorative example for collectors of Peruvian, Latin American, ethnographic, devotional, miniature, and narrative folk art. It will be packed very carefully for shipment.
