Antique Our Lady ex voto hand painted on tin. Votive to thank La Virgen de San Juan de los Lagos, for miracle received. Nail hole at top for hanging..

Painting is 8 1/2 inches by 6 3/4 inches.

Votive paintings in Mexico go by several names in Spanish such as “ex voto,” “retablo” or “lamina,” which refer to their purpose, place often found, or material from which they are traditionally made respectively. The form that most votive paintings take from the colonial period to the present was brought to Mexico by the Spanish. As in Europe, votive paintings began as static images of saints or other religious figures which were then donated to a church. Later, narrative images, telling the personal story of a miracle or favor received appeared. These paintings were first produced by the wealthy and often on canvas; however, as sheets of tin or wood became affordable, lower classes began to have these painted on this medium.

Vintage condition with overall wear, including scuffs, scratches and loss of paint. Most of the writing at bottom is worn and unreadable. Overall crazing of paint. Paint is very worn with large areas of missing paint, exposing tin. Photos were taken in bright lights making painting brighter than it really is.