Item Details
[Paper Specimens] [Amate (paper)] Curandero Otomí Deity - Papel de Dios broadsides [3 sheets].
San Pablito, Mexico: c.1970-1979. Unique. The culture of amate/paper dates back to pre-Columbian, Meso-American people. The word amate derives from amatl, the indigenous Nahuatl word for paper. Mayan and Aztec Indians painted on amate/paper to create codices (accordion folded books) depicting stories historical events and even astrology. San Pablito, a settlement of Otomí speaking Indians in the Sierra Norte de Puebla, is renowned as a village of brujería (witchcraft) and the only remaining major center of indigenous papermakers in Mexico. The cut paper spirits are also named as deities, including dios de abeja, dios de antiguo, madre tierra or 'zakis'. In addition, the Otomí cut paper camas (beds), upon which the paper figurines are laid during rituals. A lesser known aspect of Otomí tourist art is the making of small books or postcards from handmade paper where the lighter paper is used as a background surface, or the camas, and brown and darker muñecos, the “sacred paper cuttings”, are glued on. These figures are sometimes accompanied by texts in Spanish written in capital letters with felt-tipped pens. The description and explanation found in the texts or as cards focus predominantly on ceremonies involving offerings to rain deities and countless spirits of seeds, fruits, and plants, as well as traditional, old curing practices. These particular examples are semillas (seeds), plant spirits of the local agricultural plants grown and cultivated by indigenous farmers, for example: spirit of the café frijoles, plantanos, and spirit of the beehive with their hands and arms raised upwards representing 'good' people. One with copal incense burner on their forehead. Very Good+. Slightly toned and aged, as with amate/paper naturally occurs, small tear to top edge and one on interior lower center (does not marr paper cut), some of the figures have lifted slightly due to aging/adhesive. Two single leaves with two paper cuts and one with one figure papercut, all mounted on brown and white handmade amate bark paper. Paper specimens. One sheet with "Hecho en Mexico" sticker on verso. Item #11795
Price: $300.00