[Gocamino] exvotos

[Rebekah Scott]

I love exvotos, and have a really wonderful Mexican tin one from a shrine that was closed down. It´s a lucha libre wrestler in full costume, with a little Virgin floating overhead. He gives thanks for beating El Lobo! 

Ex votos go back to the Roman era. If you visit the ancient baños in the mountains along the Via de la Plata, you occasionally see one or two Roman ex votos, testifying to the healing powers of the spirits of that particular spring. 

And in Vendome, France, I saw a particularly moving set of ex votos, marble plaques that covered the walls of a chapel in the cathedral. They give thanks for survivals and rescues and mercies given all throughout world wars 1 and 2, which really swept hard over that area. Lovely. 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His mercy endures forever. 

Rebekah Scott 
www.moratinoslife.blogspot.com


--- On Wed, 12/12/07, Richard Ferguson <richard at fergusonsculpture.com> wrote:

> From: Richard Ferguson <richard at fergusonsculpture.com>
> Subject: Re: [Gocamino] ] 120 000 pilgrims per day - 20million pa!!
> To: blaroli at aol.com
> Cc: gocamino at oakapple.net
> Date: Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 11:31 PM
> Sometimes these little works of art are called 
> "Exvotos", sometimes retablos.  I always explain 
> to people that they are part folk art, and part 
> personal thank you notes to God or one of the 
> saints.  In many cases, the story told is very 
> detailed, with names and dates, and exactly what 
> happened.  I remember one very simple one that 
> simply thanked God for getting them across the 
> border without difficulties.   Another gave 
> thanks for the return of their young son, who had 
> wandered off, and someone found him and brought 
> him back on horseback.  Yet another for getting 
> out of jail.  I think that I have even seen one 
> that gave thanks that their pond had not dried 
> up.   Some of the modern exvotos are literally 
> photocopies, sometimes of diplomas.  But it is 
> still very clear who is giving thanks, and for 
> what.  I have seen exvotos in Quebec that say 
> something like "Thanks for favor granted" and 
> signed with just initials, I was kind of 
> disappointed.
> 
> I left an exvoto myself,  in Cata, Gto., a few 
> years ago.  Mine was not really a work of art. 
> "Gracias a nuestro Señor por darme la inesperada 
> oportunidad de jubilarme anticipadamente cuando 
> yo más lo necesitaba ."  I should probably make 
> another one, this time of metal.
> 
> I have a couple of books by "Artes de Mexico" on
> Exvotos.
> 
> I could expand on this if someone would like, but 
> I suppose it is somewhat off topic.
> 
> On another Mexico pilgrimage, someone is trying 
> to develop a walking route between monasteries in 
> Mexico.  It looked very interesting, but I have 
> not been able to get in contact with the person 
> doing the work.
> 
> Richard
> 
> 
> >
> >The first church built for the Virgin almost 450 
> >years ago is atop the Tepeyac hill (one has to 
> >climb up to it) and is small. Over the centuries 
> >several large churches have been built at the 
> >foot of the hill and they are museums today, 
> >quite notable for the many works of art they 
> >contain and the "retablos" in them. A retablo
> is 
> >a small pictorial retelling, mostly on a tin 
> >surface, of a special grace granted by the 
> >Virgin and taken to the Virgin by the person 
> >favored as recognition and gratitude. They are, 
> >in my view, priceless pieces of living 
> >historical popular art.
> ><snip>
> >Meanwhile, happy Virgin of Guadalupe feast day.
> >Rosina
> >
> -
> -- 
> http://www.fergusonsculpture.com
> Sculptures in copper and other metals
> 
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