retablos

This extraordinary retablo designed by Peru’s Jose Ramos beautifully captures the essence of true love that transcends life and goes on even in the afterlife. In the unique diorama, two skeletons joyfully toast to their unbreakable bond while holding a red heart that symbolizes their eternal connection. Influenced by the Day of the Dead, this decorative accent is handcrafted from black walnut wood and showcases hand-painted ceramic figurines that are carefully arranged within. The doors, filled with elaborate floral and leaf designs, can be displayed either opened or closed, adding versatility to this captivating creation.

Says Peruvian artist Julio Gallardo, "I love the type of work that I do, since it allows me to form whatever scene, thought, or idea in a wood box and deepen the significance of each detail." He handcrafts this retablo of local tornillo wood, featuring two swinging doors that are painted by hand with a floral design. These doors open to a fantastic world, depicting a group of salesmen in their tienda de corazones, surrounded by a variety of colorful hearts. Each miniscule piece in this retablo is crafted and painted by hand. Gallardo draws inspiration from themes of love, hoping to spread that with this creative retablo.

Alejandro Chavez crafts a mirror frame rooted in Andean tradition with four different vignettes. At the top, Andean shepherds serenade the Holy Family beneath the stars on the very first Christmas. To the left and right, a llama and a cow rest outdoors. Along the bottom are three bright flowers. Known as a retablo, this traditional diorama is housed in a colorful chest crafted of wood and painted. The Peruvian artisan carefully models each figure from ceramic plaster and paints them by hand to surround a heart-shaped looking glass.

This adorable retablo is the original creation of Alejandro Chavez in Peru. The wood and ceramic folk art accent features two levels. On the top, two Andean sweethearts express their love for each other while on the bottom, hand-crafted hearts are painted with the words Te amo (I love you). Retablos like this were inspired by the altarpieces first brought to Peru by Spanish conquerors.