Mid-20th Century Mexican Folk Art Terracotta Figure, 1950s

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This terracotta figure is a mid-20th century Mexican folk art piece, made in the pre-Columbian revival style associated with Maya … Read more This terracotta figure is a mid-20th century Mexican folk art piece, made in the pre-Columbian revival style associated with Maya and Toltec imagery. The seated figure wears a tall, tapered headdress and large disc-shaped ear spools, with a solemn, forward-facing expression carved in low relief.

The garment is incised throughout with a cross-hatched geometric pattern, bordered by a stepped motif at the hem. Arms rest close to the body, with banded cuffs marked in parallel lines. Surface treatment shows a mottled reddish-brown finish over a lighter clay body, consistent with an artificially aged or antiqued glaze rather than an excavated patina.

The base is marked "MEXICO," confirming its origin as a tourist or decorative reproduction rather than an archaeological object. Construction shows hand-finishing throughout, with visible tool marks in the incised detailing. See less