Description
Overview
This is a figural sculpture by Angélica Vásquez Cruz (born 1958) of Santa María Atzompa, Oaxaca. She is one of Mexico’s most celebrated master potters and a 2009 recipient of the National Arts and Sciences Award in Arts and Traditions. A young woman in a ruffled dress carries a basket of flowers on her shoulder and a second bouquet at her hip. The composition is consistent with the artist’s work known as “Dancer with Two Flower Baskets,” and with her many figures celebrating Oaxacan women.
Craft World Tours had a documented relationship with the artist. The Wilsons’ 2009 “Christmas in Oaxaca” tour visited her Atzompa workshop on December 21, 2009, and the collection’s Oaxaca tours spanned many years. This piece is likely from the 1990s-2000s and is consistent with acquisition during those visits. It comes from the Craft World Tours Collection, assembled over four decades by Tom and Sherry Wilson.
Design & Craftsmanship
Function & Form: A hand-built, hollow, cone-shaped figure, open at the base, with small vent holes beneath the ruffle. It measures about 8.5″ H x 6″ W x 4″ D and weighs 1 lb 12 oz.
Artistry & Ornamentation:
- Unglazed earthenware with pastillaje, the artist’s applied clay work: calla lilies, coiled roses, daisies and veined leaves fill a woven basket on her shoulder and a bouquet at her hip.
- The basket weave is modeled in clay coils.
- She has braided hair and a finely drawn face.
- The brown slip dress has a ruffled white petticoat and apron trim, and its back is incised with a looping scroll-and-heart pattern.
- The color comes from natural clays and mineral slips, not paint.
Structural Base: Signed twice: “Angélica Vásquez Cruz” on the right forearm, and “Angélica Vásquez” inside the base.
Condition Report
Surface Condition: Light surface wear, consistent with age and storage, to the unglazed clay and slips. No cracks or losses were observed.
Structural Integrity: Stable. This is fragile, unglazed earthenware and should be handled with care. This item is sold “as-is” with all associated patina and wear inherent to its age and history as part of the Craft World Tours Collection.
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