Our Lady of Sorrows (Nuestra Señora de los Dolores)

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

Painted in New Mexico, this small religious scene, or retablo, was meant for private devotion in a chapel or home. Retablos typically depict saints, angels, or the Virgin Mary. The New Mexican painters who specialized in these subjects were called santeros . To develop their iconographies, santeros looked to a variety of printed materials, including woodcuts, pamphlets, and illustrated Bibles. The Virgin Mary is referred to as Our Lady of Sorrows, in reference to her seven sorrows, and is often shown in a mournful state. She is seen here with eyes downcast and hands in prayer.

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