I’m an art lover, and I especially enjoy the surrealistic paintings of the gray Spanish artist Salvador Dali. I dedicate this exvoto to Saint Luke, thanking him for the talent of this great artist, so influent in XX century, author of my favorite painting “Christ of Saint John of the Cross”.

Mexico

I dedicate this humble retablo to Saint John Bosco thanking him for finding a job as a painter of naked female models. The truth is I can’t paint but I convinced the gallery owner that I have a very abstract and modernist style. So now, apart of making money, I also delight my eyes with the beautiful models.

Gaspar Aguilar \ Queretaro, Mexico

Thanks to you, Virgin of Guadalupe, my wife agreed to pose naked for my paintings, and thanks to that I won the artist contest and a scholarship.

Rogelio, Oaxaca, Mexico, 1967

I dedicate this exvoto to Saint Jude Thaddeus for the fabulous work and life of Diego Rivera, artist. His murals about Detroit Industry have been an inspiration for millions of aspiring artist, and they have been a pride of Detroit for almost 100 years.

Luis Romo, Mexico

I liked to paint but I was afraid of not having enough talent to become a professional. But one night Frida Kahlo appeared in my dream and encouraged me to paint. I give infinite thanks to Saint Charbel for that dream. It was the inspiration I needed to do what I loved the most—painting.

Mexico City

I dedicate this exvoto to Saint Martha for the great talent of Vincent van Gogh. His beautiful colorful paintings made him one of the main exponents of post-impressionism and greatly influenced the XX century art.

Gabriel, Mexico

With the present retablo, I thank the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe for Frida Kahlo’s tenacity and will to live. In spite of her illness and physical pain that troubled her all her life, she had courage and talent to express her feelings through her art which remains valid till our days.

I wholeheartedly dedicate this exvoto to Saint Hedwig because after saving for a long time I finally managed to fulfill my dream to go to Spain to visit the Prado Museum and to see the work of the brilliant Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens whom I admire so much for being one of the greatest in the history of art.

Raul H., Mexico

I dedicate this retablo to the Lord of Miracles for the great talent of the Italian Michelangelo Buonarroti. He is considered one of the greatest artist in history, for his sculptures and paintings, and before all for the marvelous work he did in Sistine Chapel.

Manuel R., Mexico

I dedicate this exvoto to Saint Philip Neri for the work of Francisco Goya. He was a genius who used his brash to comment on injustices of his times. His works have inspired many people after his death.

Alberto Suarez, Mexico

I dedicate this retablo to Saint Francis de Sales for the talent of the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. His most famous work “The Scream”, as many other his works, brings to perfection such topics as anxiety and depression, and it made him a great representative of the XX century art.

Roberto Lopez, Mexico

I dedicate this retablo to the Holy Lord of Chalma for the talent of great Mexican engraver artist Jose Guadalupe Posada. This prominent artist is known for his drawings full of social criticism and costumbrism with Mexican features. He’s also famous for his skeletons and La Catrina.

Eduardo L., Mexico

I thank the Virgin of Talpa for giving me the opportunity of studying her retablos and for it was possible, thanks to the generous support of many people, to publish this book about her. I ask God for his intercession and to always look after the priests of Talpa, holy fathers Estrada Sting, Enrique Flores and Salazar Gonzalez, as well as Martha Becerra, don Francisco Arias and mr. Ernesto Valdez.

Prof. Elin Luque Agraz, Mexico City, May 10, 2015