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Spanish Colonial, Latin America, Mexico, ca. 19th century CE. A lovely, hand-painted tin retablo featuring the image of Nuestra Senora de Atocha or Our Lady of Atocha (also Virgen de Atocha or Maria Madre de Atocha) depicted traditionally, standing in a red gown and blue cape as she holds Santo Nino de Atocha in one arm and a flower stalk in the other. Devotion to Holy Infant of Atocha originally began as a Marian devotion with a medieval statue of the Madonna and Child in Toledo, Spain. The image of the Divine Child was detachable, and devout families would often borrow the image of the infant when a woman was about to give birth to her child. Size: 14″ W x 10″ H (35.6 cm x 25.4 cm)
In the 13th century, much of Spain was under Muslim rule. The town of Atocha, now part of Madrid’s Arganzuela district, was lost to the Muslims, and many Christians there were taken prisoners as spoils of war. The Christian prisoners were not fed by the jailers, but by family members who brought them food. According to pious legend, the caliph ordered that only children under the age of 12 were permitted to bring food. Conditions became increasingly difficult for those men without small children. The women of Atocha prayed before the statue of Our Lady of Atocha at a nearby parish, a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to ask her son Jesus for help. Reports soon began among the people of Atocha that an unknown child under the age of twelve and dressed in pilgrim’s clothing had begun to bring food to childless prisoners at night. The women of the town returned to Our Lady of Atocha to thank the Virgin for her intercession and noticed that the shoes worn by the Infant Jesus were tattered and dusty. They replaced the shoes of the Infant Jesus, but these became worn again. The people of Atocha took this as a sign that it was the Infant Jesus who went out every night to help those in need.
Condition: Some very light bending to tin and areas of small loss to paint, but imagery is still very clear. Minor perforation near bottom left and another at top for suspension and display. Minor chips to corners. Otherwise, intact and excellent with vagrant pigments. Old collection label on verso.
Provenance: private Oglesby, Illinois, USA collection, acquired in the 1990s from various Western US auction galleries
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