Mexican Folk Art - Home

PHOEBE A. HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY
Clockwise: Tray. Made by Doña Cuca Cerda, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán. This inlaid tray was
made with the fat of the aje insect. The insect is boiled, ground, filtered, and dried to
extract the fat, which is then often mixed with the oil of chia seeds.
Snake figurine. Made by Ernesto Jiménez, Olinalá, Guerrero. Appropriately–shaped
gourds are often formed into animals as decorative objects. This unusual snake was
cleverly made from a twisted root.
Gourd bowl. Olinalá, Guerrero. Lacquer ware is especially popular in the Guerrero town
of Olinalá. The material used for the lacquer is the oil from chia seeds.
22 � MEXICAN FOLK ART