Candleholder "Árbol de la Vida" / "Baum des Lebens", Mexico, one-flame, handmade, 1960s. - Earthenware

Expressive Mexican ceramic candle holder in the form of an “Árbol de la Vida” (Tree of Life), a traditional form of Mexican folk art.

The elaborately modeled candle holder is designed as a stylized, highly branched tree. Dozens of individually shaped leaves, blossoms, and buds adorn the front. Some of the sculpted elements are mounted on fine wires, giving the composition a particularly lively, almost moving effect.

Characteristic is the warm, earthy color palette. The predominantly ocher-to-hrown ochre glaze, with blue and yellow nuances accenting individual flowers and leaves, is enriched by dark- and light-blue and yellow tones. The irregular surface and the hand-executed details emphasize the piece’s handcrafted character.

At the top there is a candle socket, allowing the object to be used both as a decorative sculpture and as a candle holder.

The “Árbol de la Vida” is among the best-known forms of Mexican ceramic art. In particular, workshops in Metepec as well as Izúcar de Matamoros/Puebla are famous for these figuratively built ceramic trees. Originally, such works developed from religiously influenced motifs; later, numerous variants with floral, folkloric, and decorative themes emerged.

The present exemplar differs from many very colorfully painted modern variants by its vivid blue and honey-colored glaze and its pronounced sculptural modeling. Due to lack of a definite signature, a specific workshop or artist cannot be reliably identified.

The back nicely shows the actual structure of the ceramic “tree” with its sinuous branches and openings. Age- and use-related irregularities as well as traces of hand craftsmanship are present and documented in the photographs.

Dimensions:

Overall height: ca. 21 cm
Overall width: ca. 20 cm
Weight: ca. 800 g
Material: glazed ceramic / terracotta
Origin: Mexico
Execution: handcrafted and sculpturally decorated
Form: single-flame candle holder / “Árbol de la Vida”

A decorative and characterful example of Mexican folk and ceramic art with a beautiful sculptural impact and an unusually warm, earthy and sky-blue color scheme.