On loan from the private collection of Pat Manion, this exhibition will feature 16 retablos by Claudio Jiménez Quispe, a Peruvian folk artist born in the Andes, whose family has been regarded for decades for their extraordinary retablos. Claudio is a master retablista, sculpting his colorful miniature scenes using potato paste and plaster, with visual stories that highlight both the beauty and the tragedy of his Peruvian culture. These 16 works feature the breathtaking diversity of the rainforest, political unrest, religious themes, human resilience, and above all, the rich artistic heritage of his region.

The creation of retablos in Peru can be traced back to the Spanish conquerors, who brought portable wooden altars containing figures of Catholic saints. Peruvian retablos remained firmly imbedded with religious iconography for centuries, but in the 1940s, a movement developed among Peru’s folk artists to begin including Peruvian culture, centering the struggles and joy of their people. Claudio’s world-renowned retablos are at the forefront of this living movement, and his dedication to his artistry and cultural activism have led to his works being acquired by numerous institutions around the world, including the Smithsonian and the Museum of Man.

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