figurine;
hat
- Museum number
- Am1986,06.501.a-b
- Description
-
Figurine (with hat); made out of sugar; in the form of skull groom; a) skull: pipings of coloured sugar all over front of skull; rectangle of copper-coloured foil on forehead; eye sockets have circles of coloured foil (gold, red, blue and copper) with fuchsia sequin at centre; blue foil for nose socket; mounted on cardboard base; b) hat made out of polystyrene in the form of derby, painted black. Used for Day of the Dead Festival.
- Production date
- 1980s
- Dimensions
-
Height: 22 centimetres (a)
-
Height: 12.50 centimetres (b)
-
Width: 20.50 centimetres (a)
-
Width: 26.50 centimetres (b)
-
Depth: 26 centimetres (a)
-
Depth: 33 centimetres (b)
- Curator's comments
- The foil strip on the forehead is where maker writes buyer's name in icing sugar. In the days preceding the Day of the Dead Festival, there is "la Feria del Alfeñique", which is the sugar fair where makers sell wares in front of temple in Toluca. See Carmichael, Elizabeth and Sayer, Chloë. The Skeleton at the Feast, The Day of the Dead in Mexico. London: British Museum Press, 1991 pp. 112-116 for interview iwth Wenceslao Rivas Contreras.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1991, London, Museum of Mankind, 'The Skeleton at the Feast: The Day of the Dead'
- Associated events
- Used at: Day of the Dead
- Acquisition date
- 1986
- Acquisition notes
- Cost for both (a-b).
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Am1986,06.501.a-b
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: 1986 Am6 61
