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Handcrafted Retablo Nativity Scene Wall Mirror from Peru, 'Love Divine'

Product ID: U29087

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Handcrafted Retablo Nativity Scene Wall Mirror from Peru, 'Love Divine'

Delivery Estimate

This item is available for pre-order and will ship within 2 to 8 weeks. Learn More

Available in 2 to 8 weeks. Learn More

Details

Alejandro Chavez crafts a mirror frame rooted in Andean tradition with four different vignettes. At the top, Andean shepherds serenade the Holy Family beneath the stars on the very first Christmas. To the left and right, a llama and a cow rest outdoors. Along the bottom are three bright flowers. Known as a retablo, this traditional diorama is housed in a colorful chest crafted of wood and painted. The Peruvian artisan carefully models each figure from ceramic plaster and paints them by hand to surround a heart-shaped looking glass.

Made in Peru

  • MDF, ceramic, glass
  • Signed by the artist
  • Hand-crafted item -- color, size and/or motif may vary slightly
  • Free Gift Wrap? No
  • Premium Gift Wrap? Yes
  • 0.75 kgs
  • 1.7 lbs
  • 25 cm H x 25 cm W x 3 cm D
  • 9.75" H x 9.75" W x 1.2" D
View in metric units View in US/English units

Product Reviews By Customers

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04/13/2023

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"A wonderful addition to our Christmas "

Beautifully crafted, gorgeous colors, a joy to behold.

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Alejandro Chavez

Meet the Artist

Artfully crafted by Alejandro Chavez from Andes.

 

Meet the Artist

Alejandro Chavez

Alejandro Chavez

5.0 (artist rating)

"Over the years, I perfected my abilities and became a master retablo craftsman. In some, I depict Biblical scenes and, in others, everyday life in the Andes."

Alejandro Chavez was born in Lima in 1956. He specializes in creating retablos, a kind of reverent diorama-altar typical... Alejandro Chavez was born in Lima in 1956. He specializes in creating retablos, a kind of reverent diorama-altar typical of the Ayacucho region of Peru. He learned this technique as a boy in school, when living in Ayacucho, where his parents moved when he was just two years old.

For Alejandro and his family, the 1980s were painful. All of Peru was bleeding as a result of the armed conflict between the Sendero Luminoso terrorist group, who threatened and conscripted rural farmers, and the Peruvian army, who arrested or killed anyone they found suspicious. The Chavez family fled to Lima where they found peace once more through their retablo art. However, they lost several of their friends.

"Some died, others were jailed, even when they didn't know how to read or write," he says. "Because of the war, they had to drop out of school and leave the artisan workshops they loved in nearby Huamanga. They acquired some knowledge of the retablo art but they withdrew because it was no longer safe to leave their homes.

"Life in Lima was quite different. The quiet small town life we were accustomed to no longer existed in the huge cement jungle of the capital. Our traditional Ayacucho fiestas such as the yunza tree and the Dance of the Scissors, have died out here.

"To fight boredom, I worked at different jobs. People like me who had recently arrived in Lima began working as stevedores in the city's fishing port. After that, I sold fruit in a market stall. Finally one day, a cousin convinced me to try my luck in a workshop where they crafted Ayacuchan retablos. When I visited the workshop, I couldn't believe it when I saw these beautiful art forms once again.

"So I returned to my roots. I began working in the studio of Angel Castro, a master artisan, who taught me. Here I refined my techniques. After the death of my teacher, I formed my own workshop continuing to give shape to this art form. The customs and traditions of the Andean people — especially those of Ayacucho — emerge in every piece we make.

"Over the years, I perfected my abilities and became recognized as a master retablo craftsman. In some, I depict Biblical scenes and, in others, everyday life in the Andes. I did this for eight years. It was exhausting to create my retablos and then try to sell them in artisan fairs. I had to carry several at a time and go door to door, offering them to shops and stores.

"I've been married since 1985 and my wife and I successfully faced some really tough times. We were unable to have children. We finally gave up on fertility treatments and decided to adopt. We found a seven-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy, and raised them with all our love as though they were our own. Now that they're older, the girl is here with us and the boy went to live with my mother in Ayacucho.

"I began working with you in 2007 when I learned your support could let make a living from my art and give me the hope of a better future. Thanks to what I earn from the sale of my retablos, I've been able to give my family a better lifestyle and, especially, to help my daughter Carol with her studies now that she's a young mother. Since then, things have gone well.

"Today, I can say that my pain from those difficult times in Ayacucho has healed. I've been sharing the culture and traditions of Peru through my retablos. And I plan to continue with this art as long as God permits it."

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WOMEN S M L XL XXL
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
BUST 35 - 36 37 - 38 39 - 41 42 - 44 46 - 48
WAIST 27 - 28 29 - 30 31 - 33 34 - 36 38 - 40
HIPS 37 - 38 39 - 40 42 - 43 45 - 46 49 - 50
MEN S M L XL XXL
CHEST 36 - 38 39 - 41 42 - 44 46 - 48 50 - 52
WAIST 30 - 32 32 - 34 35 - 37 38 - 41 43 - 45
NECK 14 - 14.5 15 - 15.5 16 - 16.5 17 - 17.5 18 - 18.5
SLEEVE 32.5 33.5 34.5 35.5 36.5
FINDING YOUR SIZE

Take your measurements with the tape measure over your under garments. If your measurements fall between sizes you may prefer the next larger size. Inseam, skirt and dress lengths vary by style and will be listed in the item description. Our sweaters are knit in standard American sizes, however actual measurements vary by style.

BUST / CHEST

Measure around the fullest part of chest under the arms and over the shoulder blades keeping the tape measure level.

WAIST

Measure around the smallest part of the waist keeping the tape measure comfortably loose. Most garments use the low waist measurement noted below.

LOW WAIST

Measure around the body approximately 1.5" below the natural waist (above). This is the area where most pants and skirts actually fit.

HIPS

Standing with your heels together, measure around the fullest part of the body approx 7"-8" below the waist.

NECK

Measure around the base of the neck keeping the tape measure comfortably loose.

SLEEVE

Bend elbow slightly and starting at the center back of the neck, measure across the shoulder, to the elbow and down to the wrist.

INSEAM

Our standard inseam length for women is 32" and 34" for men; however inseam measurements will vary slightly by style.

 

Belts with buckles are measured in inches that correspond to a waist size however, most people do not wear belts on the waist, they wear them closer to the hips. A buckle belt measurement is take from the end of the "pin" of the buckle to the middle hole on the belt. Generally there are 5 holes for size adjustment, with a 1" space between each, so the middle hole will the be average size of the belt.

For at tie belt (no buckle) measure the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This again is the medium size of the belt.

For a soft fabric tie belt it can be called "1 size fits most" and the entire length of the belt should be measured and listed.

See buckle/tie belt size standards below.

WOMEN S M L XL  
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
inches 26 - 30 28 - 32 31 - 35 34 - 38 38 - 42
cm 76 - 86 81.5 - 91.5 86.5 - 96.5 91.5 - 101.5 96.5 - 106.5

+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm

MEN S M L XL XXL
inches 30 - 34 32 - 36 35 - 39 39 - 43 43 - 47
cm 81.5 - 91.5 86.5 - 96.5 91.5 - 101.5 96.5 - 106.5 109 - 119

+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm

Sash tie length

Lay sash/tie out flat away from the garment and measure from end to end.

Belt with buckle

Measure from the end of the pin of the buckle (where it touches the buckle) to the middle hole.

Belt without buckle

Measure from the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This is will give you the medium size of the belt.

Download our printable ring sizing chart to find the perfect fit!

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