05/18/2026
The tradition of arbol de la vida sculptures is said to originate in Spanish Colonial Mexico, when the Church commissioned local artisans to create candelabras with biblical scenes as a way to assimilate the native people to the Catholic faith.
Fast forward to the 1920s, in the town of Izucar de Matamoros, Aurelio Flores began the tradition of making tree of life ceramic sculptures. These artworks would come to represent the fine craftsmanship and unique visual style that he, and later his son Francisco, brought to the Mexican folk art tradition.
Often given to newlyweds as symbols of fertility and abundance, they are now
highly collectible pieces in the overall tradition of Mexican ceramic art. This piece, adorned with twenty one skeleton musicians, with birds and flowers throughout, is a rare and exceptional representation of this timeless folk art tradition. And it is only available at Nuevo Santander Gallery.
