The piece offered here exemplifies a technique of photo-sculpture that began in Mexico City in the 1930s. They were commissioned by Mexican and Mexican American families to celebrate significant events such as weddings and quinceaneras, to memorialize the dead and to honor individuals. The photo-sculpture tradition is secular but it would be common to find displayed in a home altar. Dimensions: 12" x 10" x 3". These three dimensional images incorporate photography, painting and sculpture. The process would begin with printing a photo of the celebrated individual and adhering it to a wooden bust support. Each photo would then have unique accents in paint and assemblage added: various hair, jewelry, and clothing details would thusly be given a three-dimensional element. Though the design and construction were dictated by the necessities of easy mass production, each photo-sculpture is truly unique. The sculpture is housed in a handsome rectangular wooden frame with a freestanding wooden base. The sculpture was incased by two panes of glass, but has lost them over the years.

good - consistent with age.