This small painting represents "Nuestra Senora de Refugio de Pecadores," or "Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners." Because of her unique patronage, NS de Refugio is perhaps the most popular of all subjects in retablo art. She is almost always shown in this context, surrounded by a colorful garland of flowers, with puffy white clouds, and the Christ Child.

Retablos are small oil paintings on tin, zinc, wood or copper which were used in home altars in Mexico to venerate the almost infinite number of Catholic saints. The literal translation for "retablo" is "behind the altar."

This is an entry in the "Day Of The Dead" EBSQ Show.