Arbol de la Muerte (Tree of Death)

NameSculpture

Artist Artist unrecorded

Dateca. 2003

Place madeMorelia, Mexico, North America

MediumClay, paint, wire

Dimensions16 × 10 1/2 × 5 in. (40.6401 × 26.6701 × 12.7 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase with funds from the Museum of New Mexico Foundation

Object numberA.2024.6.1

Collections

New Acquisitions: The Gift of Folk Art

ProvenanceJon purchased the piece in Morelia, Mexico on Palm Sunday weekend in 2003 from an arts fair that had about 30 artists with booths. An almost identical piece is on exhibit at the National Museum of Death (Museo Nacional de la Muerte). Kate Macuen has reached out to the museum to see if they can provide the artist’s name or any additional provenance information.

DescriptionThis árbol de la muerte or tree of death, showcases a clay tree full of skulls, attached to the branches with wire. At the bottom center stands a calavera (skeleton women) with long black hair and a black skirt. The object is in good condition with minor cracking in the glaze at the base of the tree branches. Trees of Life are usually hand coiled and it is likely the same technique used to create this tree of death.