In Peru's Andes, the centuries-old art of the retablo captures a changing country

"Traditionally, the figures that make up the interior of a retablo are made piece-by-piece, from a compound of ground stone, like alabaster or lime, mixed with binding agents like potato starch and cactus gum; and then even the finest details are painstakingly painted on by hand, traditionally with aniline dyes, for a process that can take many months or years to realise."

"Andean cultures have long found ways of telling stories through craft - by weaving tales into thick textiles, painting sagas onto ceramics, or chiselling mythology into gourds. But retablos have reached a level of ubiquity in Peru, and you'll spot them in homes throughout the country; they also burst out of tourist shops everywhere from Lima to Cusco, and sit in museum collections well beyond the country's borders."

Andean retablo shadow boxes are handcrafted wooden dioramas of varying sizes, often with painted floral exteriors and hinged front doors revealing detailed scenes. Miniature figures are built piece-by-piece from ground stone compounds such as alabaster or lime mixed with potato starch and cactus gum, then painted by hand with aniline dyes. Scenes portray mercado life, festivals, religious afterlife interpretations, and historical events. The making process can take months or years, requiring skilled retablero artisans. Retablos are widely present across Peru—in homes, tourist shops, and museums internationally—and reflect facets of Peruvian identity and cultural memory.

Read at CN Traveller