Guzman Urbano Boxed Retablo

A Peruvian Retablo features a scene set inside a box with hinged doors. The scene is often a nativity. In this special historic Retablo, there are three scenes. The scene at the top is indeed a nativity. The scene on the middle shelf is a fiesta. The scene on the bottom is a hat shop. This Retablo was made by Hector Guzman Urbano in the 1950’s. The box is wooden, and the figures are made of paste. All the figures are painted in bright colors. The nativity scene is joyful. Even the animals look happy. One kneeling peasant wears a pointed Peruvian hat. Baby Jesus lies beneath a star. He wears a golden halo, as do Mary and Joseph. The nativity scene is splendidly crowned with a dramatic, curved, red proscenium. It is like the proscenium in the Scottish Rite Temple in Santa Fe. The doors of the Retablo are painted on both sides, so they are lovely either open or closed. This unique Retablo has been professionally cleaned and restored. It is heavy. We prefer not to ship it, but if you are able to drive to Santa Fe to pick it up, we would be happy to be the link from the Van Deren Coke Estate to your fine collection. The distance from the bottom to the top of the peak is seventeen and a half inches (48 cm.)