Oil painting on wood of a votive picture of a boy falling under the wheel of an ox cart

Oil painting on wood of a votive picture of a boy falling under the wheel of an ox cart, unknown maker, 1801-1900

Paintings like these are known as an ‘ex votos’, meaning ‘from a vow’ in Latin. Left in a church in gratitude for answered prayers, each tells a story of a cure or delivery from disaster through the intervention of the Virgin Mary or another Christian saint.

The tradition, which continues to this day, is developed from Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman practices of offering gifts to the gods.

Details

Category:
Art
Object Number:
L2019-014
Materials:
oil paint and wood (unidentified)
Measurements:
framed: 255 mm x 330 mm x 30 mm, .55 kg
canvase: 170 mm x 272 mm
type:
painting