Santa Cecilia - Bee Sting Lip Painter

We are proud to be the custodian of this fine and extremely rare 19th century tin retablo painting - perhaps more rare than any other retablo we have handled. Santa Cecilia, the patroness saint of musicians, is a subject that is often spoken of but seldom seen, and an example of this quality and caliber will most likely never be seen again. Cecilia is depicted here in front of her pipe organ  -- in full profile and 3/4 view, with the positioning of her frame and the anatomy of her hands giving the impression that they belong to someone other than herself. 

While the author of this painting proved to be somewhat of an enigma, it was determined that this painting is clearly the hand of Concepcion Avila, also known as the 'Bee Sting Lip painter. 

**Please click here for comparison.

Dimensions: 10 inches vertical x 7 inches horizontal. 

Condition: in overall excellent, original condition with only minor paint loss. 

questions? Contact us at 415-578-8814 or info@colonialarts.com