Mexican Folk Art Ceramic Kiosco w/ 9 Mariachi Musicians - Ortega Family
Attributed to the Ortega family (Mexican, active XX to XXI century). Mariachi Bandstand. Painted barro betus ceramic sculpture, n.d. A miniature mariachi in full swing, nine musicians crowded shoulder to shoulder beneath a scalloped parasol roof. The hand-modeled earthenware kiosco rises from a barrel-form green base banded with red and white hatching, its platform ringed by candy-striped columns supporting a dome of blue, coral, and yellow gores edged in white dashes. The ensemble includes two trumpeters, two violinists, a drummer, a cellist, and players of guitarron, vihuela, and guitar, each figure separately modeled with painted charro suit, slicked hair, and white shoes. Surfaces are finished in the barro betus manner, matte earthenware brightened with cold-applied pigment rather than fired glaze. Such bandstand groups are made for display and for feast-day gifting, translating the village plaza concert into a single tabletop tableau. Size: 15.5" H x 11" W (39.4 cm H x 27.9 cm W).
Barro betus takes its name from the betus (aceite de abeto, fir-resin oil) varnish traditionally brushed over unglazed low-fired clay in western Mexico. Because the pigments sit on the surface rather than in a glaze, potters can use the full aniline spectrum, which is why folk pieces of this type carry colors no kiln-fired glaze palette could hold. The technique is associated above all with the workshops of Michoacan and Guerrero, where whole families work as production units and pass a recognizable figural style from one generation to the next.
The mariachi kiosco itself compresses a real civic form: the wrought-iron or masonry bandstand at the center of almost every Mexican town plaza, where municipal and mariachi bands play on Sundays and saint's days. Assembling a full ensemble, violins and trumpets for the melody, vihuela and guitarron for the rhythmic armonia, is a deliberate portrait of the modern mariachi as standardized in Jalisco in the early twentieth century, though the added cello and drum here read as the maker's own embellishment rather than canonical instrumentation.
Provenance: private Las Vegas, Nevada, USA collection
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #204141
Condition
Canopy roof and figures are removable from struction. Missing at least one figure. Cellist is missing an arm and one violinist is missing a bow. Repair to finial of roof with loss along break line. Expected wear as shown. Nice remaining pigments and detail. Roof may not be original to sculpture.
Attributed to the Ortega family (Mexican, active XX to XXI century). Mariachi Bandstand. Painted barro betus ceramic sculpture, n.d. A miniature mariachi in full swing, nine musicians crowded shoulder to shoulder beneath a scalloped parasol roof. The hand-modeled earthenware kiosco rises from a barrel-form green base banded with red and white hatching, its platform ringed by candy-striped columns supporting a dome of blue, coral, and yellow gores edged in white dashes. The ensemble includes two trumpeters, two violinists, a drummer, a cellist, and players of guitarron, vihuela, and guitar, each figure separately modeled with painted charro suit, slicked hair, and white shoes. Surfaces are finished in the barro betus manner, matte earthenware brightened with cold-applied pigment rather than fired glaze. Such bandstand groups are made for display and for feast-day gifting, translating the village plaza concert into a single tabletop tableau. Size: 15.5" H x 11" W (39.4 cm H x 27.9 cm W).
Barro betus takes its name from the betus (aceite de abeto, fir-resin oil) varnish traditionally brushed over unglazed low-fired clay in western Mexico. Because the pigments sit on the surface rather than in a glaze, potters can use the full aniline spectrum, which is why folk pieces of this type carry colors no kiln-fired glaze palette could hold. The technique is associated above all with the workshops of Michoacan and Guerrero, where whole families work as production units and pass a recognizable figural style from one generation to the next.
The mariachi kiosco itself compresses a real civic form: the wrought-iron or masonry bandstand at the center of almost every Mexican town plaza, where municipal and mariachi bands play on Sundays and saint's days. Assembling a full ensemble, violins and trumpets for the melody, vihuela and guitarron for the rhythmic armonia, is a deliberate portrait of the modern mariachi as standardized in Jalisco in the early twentieth century, though the added cello and drum here read as the maker's own embellishment rather than canonical instrumentation.
Provenance: private Las Vegas, Nevada, USA collection
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700.
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.
Item #204141
Condition
Canopy roof and figures are removable from struction. Missing at least one figure. Cellist is missing an arm and one violinist is missing a bow. Repair to finial of roof with loss along break line. Expected wear as shown. Nice remaining pigments and detail. Roof may not be original to sculpture.
