
It should come as no surprise that some of the world’s most fascinating collections are found in churches. But today we’re not talking about Florence’s abundance of Renaissance murals or the Baroque masterpieces in Rome. Arguably the most intriguing religious collections are the ones overlooked by art historians, created by self-taught local artisans, donated by nameless worshippers, accidentally curated by devoted pilgrims and monks. For this week’s Collectors Item du Jour, we’re looking at the enchanting (and sometimes macabre) world of ex-voto.