Folding altar screen

NamePainting

Maker Arlene Cisneros Sena (born 1952)

CultureHispana

Date2000

Place madeSanta Fe, New Mexico, United States, North America

Mediumwood, man made gesso, natural pigments, 23K gold leaf, pinon

Dimensions18 3/8 × 18 1/2 × 7/8 in. (46.7 × 47 × 2.2 cm)

Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, IFAF Collection, Gift of Diane & Sandy Besser

Object numberFA.2005.44.11

DescriptionPiece has three oblong vertical panels attached together with gold-colored hinges. The central inset panel depicts Our Lady of Guadalupe wearing a gold crown and long blue cape with gold stars over a red dress with gold florets. Many gold rays against a tan background emanate from her. She stands on a black crescent moon and is held up by the bust of an angel dressed in brown with white wings. The back ground is blue. The two side panels are also inset and contain standing angels dressed similarly in variations of blue, green, and blue clothing and boots with white wings. Each angel holds representative items against a tan background with blue drapes. In the upper left is the guardian angel, lower left San Rafael, upper right San Miguel and lower right San Gabriel. The frames have alternating sections of red, gray, and blue with two rosettes and two flowers in gold and some wavy s graffito lines. On top of each panel is a lunette with gray borders around gold and white carved-out sections, with the central lunette larger than the two on the side panels.