RETABLOS OF PERU

November 23, 2017 SouthAmerica

A unique local craftwork in Peru is the decorated retablo, which is a painted box having folding doors and inside a diorama made from small painted clay figurines. We first came across retablos in the city of Ayacucho in 1999. We were fascinated by the craftsmanship and learned about it. Retablos began during the colonization era when the Spanish priests trying to convert people would bring with them figures of saints in a box that they called San Marcos. It wasn´t until 1940 when in Ayacucho craftsmen started making these Cajones San Marcos (San Marcos´ boxes) as retablos, originally with religious figures. Later on the designs changed to represented stories, way of life, and everyday occurrences.

The word “retablo” comes from the Latin word retro-tabulum, which means behind the altar, because that is how it was introduced to the locals in the Catholic churches in Spain and Latin America. Afterwards, with regularly use, the term was shortened to simply retablo. The stories were passed on from generation to generation, but there is one in particular that people still believe in, and this is of the Cajon de San Marcos, or retablo de San Marcos who, to the farmers and town folk, is the patron or protector of livestock. People refer to it as the San Marcos. They always presided over the festivities of La Herranza or Santiago.

El Cajon San Marcos is meant to represent an “Apu”, which in the Andean world is a sacred place, with figures of saints, or events like in this case of the cattle marking ceremony. The original Cajones de San Marcos had two levels in the box; on the second floor they will represent the gods that will protect the animals, on the lower level was San Marcos the saint, as the most important figure in the box, the saint that would protect the cattle. There were other saints as Santa Ines or Santa Clara represented in the box; these were selected according to the animals they were trying ask for protection. Also they had another representation of a saint San Juan protector of the sheep. San Lucas protects all animals from predators. San Antonio de Padua, depicted holding a baby in his arms, is the protector of mules and donkeys.

Early retablos gave other religious stories. On the first floor they would represent the earthly history starting with “The Passion.” There is also a man holding a book representing “The Sacred book.” “The Reunion” shows a celebration with animals, musicians, vendors, and town folk. The retablos are to this day wooden boxes of different sizes, with figurines inside, made to fit in the box in symmetry. Other initial designs include the nativity and the crucifixion.

We still have the first retablo we bought in Pampa de Quinua, a town in the Ayacucho department. This town is popular for making these retablos and crafts made from the Piedra de Huamanga, which is a type of white alabaster. Our first retablo was small and showed the campesinos harvesting cactus apples, or as Peruvians refer them as tunas. Later on we bought a larger retablo showing a nativity scene.

Today retablos vary in size, but they are often made of cedar. The doors that are used to close the box are always painted with flower designs. The scenes they depict now include fiestas, jungle shaman curing a sick person, shops making ceremonial masks, hats, or musical instruments. The sizes vary from being cigar box size, to cereal boxes in shape, but in Lima giant retablos are being made that are larger than suitcases. The retablos artisans are being more creative with the designs of these boxes and the figurines inside of it. You now can find these retablos in Lima at souvenir shops, but if you have the chance to go to the town of Quinua there you can get to know the craftsmen and the Andean countryside that inspires the stories.