19th Century Holy Trinity Retablo | Spanish Colonial Folk Art

Here we have a piece that captures the strange, beautiful intersection of forbidden theology and raw folk devotion. This is an authentic 19th-century Mexican retablo on tin (lámina) depicting La Santísima Trinidad—the Holy Trinity—rendered in a style that is as haunting as it is historically significant. This specific representation is known as the anthropomorphic Trinity, portraying the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three identical, mirror-image young men. In 1745, Pope Benedict XIV officially banned this "three-as-one" imagery, preferring the more standard hierarchy of the Old Man and the Dove. Yet, in the remote heart of Mexico, the local santeros (saint-makers) ignored the Vatican's decree for over a century. They continued to paint these identical triplets as a visceral, visual shorthand for the mystery of one essence in three persons. Iconographic Details: The Father (Center): Anchored by a solar emblem on his breast, signifying the light of creation. The Son (Left): Cradling the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) to his chest. The Holy Spirit (Right): Holding the dove, the silent messenger of grace. The Triangles: Each figure is backed by a blue triangular halo, a geometric signature of the Trinity found in high-period Mexican tin painting. The antique retablo painting comes out of the estate of a serious Mexican art collector in Minnesota. The Retablo was likely created in the 1870s. The antique Spanish Colonial retablo measures 10" tall by 7" wide. The vibrant colors through the rust will haunt you to no end. There is evidence of age throughout the painting (see pics), specifically the speckles of rust(?) on the front and reverse. None of it takes away from the power of the piece. Please see all pics as they are part of the description. I ship FedEx shipping to street addresses in the continental USA only (no PO Boxes). Free shipping on the amazing antique Mexican art. The folk art style of this 19th century beauty sings for days.