ex voto suscepto

Hyperallergic brings us an excellent primer in the tradition of the folk-art ex-voto devotions (short for the Latin “from the vow made”)—wherein unhappy little accidents are depicted (often graphically) and the sufferers’ recover through divine intervention.
These personal petitions and statements of gratitude that adorn shrines and other places of pilgrimage have their roots in sympathetic magic but developed into a highly stylised and ritualised practise that’s not only limited to iconography but also inscriptions and other offerings. Mexican artist Frida Kahlo amassed a sizable collection of these votive works that would also go on to influence her art and the how she persevered working whilst ill. Be sure to peruse the entire extensive gallery at the link up top and learn more about the different traditions.