Mexican Retablo on Tin, 19th Century, Santa Librada

Mexico

Tin, Oil Paint | Item 2355

 The legend of Santa Librata is a certainly interesting: the daughter of a king, she was betrothed to a man she did not wish to marry, so she took a vow of celibacy to prevent the marriage. The day after she took the vow, she sprouted a beard, and her suitor departed. Her angry father had her crucified, and that is how she is typically depicted. Here she is framed by clouds as she is bound to a cross with ribbon, sans beard, and palms shoot out from behind her head. She wears elaborate robes and a crown of roses. Santa Librata had devotional Spanish and Mexican followers for more than 500 years. Icons such as Santa Librata were placed above the household altars to venerate these saints. The retablo became wildly popular in the 19th century due to the introduction of tin as an affordable medium.