ADVENT CALENDAR 2025

December 17

PERUVIAN NATIVITY RETABLO

Jeronimo Lozano (1950–2021)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Polychromed wood, potato/plaster mix
2011

Jeronimo E. Lozano was a Peruvian-born artist known for his traditional retablos. In 2018, Glencairn Museum hosted Lozano in the Great Hall for several days, where he demonstrated the art of making Nativity retablos.

Retablos are believed to have originated in the large altarpieces in Catholic churches. The tradition of making them was brought from Spain to the Spanish colonies in America. In this Nativity retablo, the Star of Bethlehem shines down upon the Christ Child, surrounded by an ox, donkey, and sheep. Mary, Joseph, and the rest of the figures in the scene wear brightly colored traditional clothing as the miraculous birth is celebrated with traditional dances. The scene is framed by native prickly pear cacti, which bear an edible fruit.

Glencairn Museum’s World Nativities exhibition runs from November 28, 2025, to January 25, 2026. Visit us at Follow the Star: A 2025 Advent Calendar.