Sometimes things are better when they are pristine and sometimes they are better when they are beaten up, and this retablo on tin I think is all the more winning for having clearly lived a life--as Anacieto Perales certainly did, in yellow pants here, hat in hand, giving his thanks to Santo Niño De Atocha. The block lettering filling nearly half the painting is excellent visually if hard to read as it fades away toward the left edge and bottom, but definitely something about a bridge and night and maybe a basement too, then a lot about prayers and promises and great thanks to Santo Nino! Plenty of paint loss as evident, largely to top corners, but which almost seems like part of the landscape/architecture of the scene here, with all angles, and red dirt roads, pointing toward our man at center! With excellent large white building with lots of black windows on the road just above him, trees everywhere, and is that a/the bridge up the road behind him? Better in person, terrific surface and presence, really super charming.
14" x 10". Some bends, rust and paint loss as documented, to my sensibilities all to the good. Holes in the tin at top for hanging. I would guess 1920s-40s.
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