Retablo (Our Lady of Carmel) 1935 - 1942

Maude Valle, born in 1855, made this 'Retablo (Our Lady of Carmel)' with modest means, I imagine, using thin washes of paint on a simple surface. It’s humble, folksy, sweet. I wonder what it was like for her, making this devotional image. Perhaps a form of meditation? I feel like it could have been, given how calm and repetitive the marks are. The paint is so thin, almost like watercolour, allowing the surface underneath to breathe through. I see the wooden frame, seemingly aged and worn, as an integral part of the piece, adding another layer to its story. It’s almost like she’s painting with light itself. Look at the way she’s rendered the figures, so simple and direct. They remind me of other self-taught or visionary artists, like Bill Traylor, who also found beauty in simplicity. There is a real, honest kind of expression here. Artists learn from each other across time, inspire each other. And this piece, with its quiet dignity, reminds us that painting doesn't always have to shout to be heard.