Brightly Painted Vintage Mexican 'Tree of Life' Pottery Sculpture of Elephants - 13" H X 10 " Diam.

A Tree of Life (Arbol de la Vida) is a type of Mexican pottery sculpture which is traditional in Central Mexico, especially in the municipality of the State of Mexico. Originally the sculptures depicted the Biblical story of creation, as an art for teaching to the natives. But recently, there have been trees created with themes completely unrelated to the Bible. The trees are made from clay fired in gas ovens at a low temperature. Variations on the craft have appeared in recent decades. This example depicts creatures, man's superiority over animals in a somewhat "circus" theme. In the old days, the Tree of Life sculptures were traditional gifts for newlyweds as a symbol of fertility and abundance.  

This piece exhibits brightly painted details in yellow, blue, purple, pink, red, and green along with interconnected sculptures of 6 elephants, 3 men and 3 birds. Three elephants form a circular base for the sculpture, another three elephants are standing on their backs forming a pyramid with three men supported by their trunks, and a bird is on top of each man's head.  

The sculpture represents the Tree of Life where the elephants are the trees. The sculpture is whimsical and creative, a fun piece in excellent condition, and was collected in Mexico during the 1960s. It would be perfect for a collector in a variety of interior settings from that of a Folk Art to Coastal, Tropical or Boho.    

Place of Origin: Puebla, Mexico   

Date of Manufacture: 1950s-1960s  

Condition: Excellent  

Wear: Near perfect. Small chip on the bottom rim. Please refer to pictures.   

Dimensions:  

Total: 13 in. H X 10 in. Diam. 

Elephants: (Vertical) 6 in. H, (Horizontal) 7 in. L (Tip-to-Tail) 

Reference: The Spirit of Folk Art, Henry Glassie 

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