The Mexican painted votive offering comes from a long tradition that began in ancient Greece but took the painting form as we know it in the 15th century in Italy. The “Altarpiece”, as it is also known in Mexico, is a promised gift when imploring a saint or the Virgin at the moment of a danger to thank their miraculous intervention. In early 21st century, the painted votive offering resume with strength through a transgressive aesthetic that some votive offering artists of Mexico City create and trade with. Alfredo Vilchis was the forefather of this trend regarding the themes presented. David Mecalco uses an expressionist aesthetic to represent little orthodox miracles regarding the Catholic religion; and Donovan paints everyday votive offering but introducing an aesthetic from the modernity by using the style in comics, Pop Art and the iconographic codes of Facebook.

Dra. Caroline Perrée