Title: Polychrome Monster Sculpture
Artist/Maker: Attributed to Candelario Medrano (1918-1986)
Date: Vintage, mid-to-late 20th century
Medium: Ceramic, polychrome paint
Technique: Hand-built, handpainted, burnished
Dimensions: Height: 53.3 cm (21 in), Width: 40.0 cm (15.75 in), Depth: 20.3 cm (8 in)
Condition: Used; repairs to all four legs; surface scratches present. Please review all photographs for detailed condition.
A vintage polychrome ceramic sculpture attributed to renowned Mexican folk artist Candelario Medrano (1918-1986), depicting a four-legged monster.
Medrano, a native of Santa Cruz de las Huertas, Tonalá, Jalisco, began his career fabricating clay drainage pipes before emerging as one of Mexico's most celebrated ceramicists . His work is characterized by whimsical, brightly colored figures that defy conventional categorization, leading scholars at institutions such as Harvard and Berkeley to classify his oeuvre as "surrealist", a label the artist himself never fully comprehended . Medrano created a universe populated by Noah's arks with mariachi bands, churches crowded with doves, passenger buses, trains, circuses, and imaginary creatures . His innovative "Barro Betus" technique involved burnishing clay with a mixture of birch sap and egg white to achieve a distinctive glossy surface .
The present sculpture, a four-legged monster rendered in vibrant polychrome, exemplifies Medrano's imaginative style. The object presents with condition considerations including repairs to all four legs and surface scratches consistent with age and use.
Candelario Medrano (1918-1986) is recognized as a seminal figure in 20th-century Mexican folk art. Working within a multigenerational family tradition of ceramicists in Jalisco, he transformed utilitarian clay traditions into expressions of pure fantasy . His work gained international recognition during his lifetime, receiving numerous awards including the Premio Estatal de la Cerámica from FONART in 1983 and the Premio Pantaleón Panduro at the Certamen Nacional de la Cerámica in Tlaquepaque in 1986 . The Jalisco State Government subsequently conferred upon him the Galardón Estatal for his contributions to Mexican culture .
Medrano's work is represented in significant museum collections internationally, including:
Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico
San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas
Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, Texas
Title: Polychrome Monster Sculpture
Artist/Maker: Attributed to Candelario Medrano (1918-1986)
Date: Vintage, mid-to-late 20th century
Medium: Ceramic, polychrome paint
Technique: Hand-built, handpainted, burnished
Dimensions: Height: 53.3 cm (21 in), Width: 40.0 cm (15.75 in), Depth: 20.3 cm (8 in)
Condition: Used; repairs to all four legs; surface scratches present. Please review all photographs for detailed condition.
A vintage polychrome ceramic sculpture attributed to renowned Mexican folk artist Candelario Medrano (1918-1986), depicting a four-legged monster.
Medrano, a native of Santa Cruz de las Huertas, Tonalá, Jalisco, began his career fabricating clay drainage pipes before emerging as one of Mexico's most celebrated ceramicists . His work is characterized by whimsical, brightly colored figures that defy conventional categorization, leading scholars at institutions such as Harvard and Berkeley to classify his oeuvre as "surrealist", a label the artist himself never fully comprehended . Medrano created a universe populated by Noah's arks with mariachi bands, churches crowded with doves, passenger buses, trains, circuses, and imaginary creatures . His innovative "Barro Betus" technique involved burnishing clay with a mixture of birch sap and egg white to achieve a distinctive glossy surface .
The present sculpture, a four-legged monster rendered in vibrant polychrome, exemplifies Medrano's imaginative style. The object presents with condition considerations including repairs to all four legs and surface scratches consistent with age and use.
Candelario Medrano (1918-1986) is recognized as a seminal figure in 20th-century Mexican folk art. Working within a multigenerational family tradition of ceramicists in Jalisco, he transformed utilitarian clay traditions into expressions of pure fantasy . His work gained international recognition during his lifetime, receiving numerous awards including the Premio Estatal de la Cerámica from FONART in 1983 and the Premio Pantaleón Panduro at the Certamen Nacional de la Cerámica in Tlaquepaque in 1986 . The Jalisco State Government subsequently conferred upon him the Galardón Estatal for his contributions to Mexican culture .
Medrano's work is represented in significant museum collections internationally, including:
Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico
San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas
Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, Texas
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