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Our Commemorative section is mainly comprized of foto-esculturas or photo-sculptures, which were life-like, three dimensional photographic portraits created to celebrate significant events such as weddings and quinceañeras, and to honor individuals and memorialize the dead. Politicians, movie stars and gift portraits were also depicted in this unique way, as were WWII American soldiers whose families wanted to commemorate their loved ones fighting in the war. This technique started in Mexico City in either the 1920´s or the 1930´s and remained popular until the 1970´s or 1980´s. Influenced by the very powerful tradition of Mexican Catholicism, these concrete, visual objects were often added to home altars, almost erasing the distinction between the secular and the religious.
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Printed on Kodak AD type paper in sepia, folk artists would enlarge and underexpose a copy of an original studio portrait. This enlarged photograph would be molded over a shallow wooden relief form of the face. Hair and facial features were outlined while the paper was still wet and then it was hand tinted. The clothing was painted directly onto the wooden form which was often distressed to simulate texture and was accessorized with jewelry, cloth, medals, buttons or hair ornaments. The bust was then set into a carved, oval, square, round or art deco frame between two pieces of glass and held in place by upholstery tacks. Most of the glass has been replaced if missing and is of a similar style to go with the frame and period of the piece. Some may be frosted, have a hand-beveled edge or a seamed edge.
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