The birth of Jesus, the Garden of Eden and a Peruvian celebration make this traditional retablo a most engaging mirror frame. Originally intended as an altar piece, retablos traditionally feature biblical passages amidst distinct Andean customs, as eloquently detailed by Alejandro Chavez. Chavez creates each image with ceramics and meticulously paints them in bright colors.
About the Artist: Peruvian artisan Alejandro Chavez specializes in the creations of retablos, a kind of reverent diorama-altar unique to the Ayacucho region of Peru. He learned this technique as a boy in school, when he was 17 years old and living in Ayacucho, where his parents moved when he was just 2 years old. When Chavez returned to his hometown, he began working in the studio of Angel Castro, a master artisan. Here he refined his techniques in the creation of retablos, eagerly learning the art from his teacher. Later, Chavez formed his own workshop after the death of his teacher and began to give shape to his art. The customs and traditions of the Andean people emerge in every piece.
The Alejandro Chavez Artisan Collection is brought to you by Novica in Association with National Geographic. This beautiful piece was handcrafted by Alejandro Chavez in Peru. An artisan story card will be included with your purchase.
This colorful retablo by Alejandro Chavez
houses six scenes taken from Andean beliefs and customs. The first features local animals, followed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The third shelf features Andean shepherds followed by the traditional Hat Dance. The ...