Small Capistrano Mexican Folk Art Sculpture Attributed to Gemma Taccogna

This whimsical yet imposing ceramic sculpture by Dora De Larios depicts a fantastical beast, its toothy grin and dual-horned head lending it both humor and menace. Its rotund body, patterned with incised circular motifs, evokes an almost armor-like surface, while its tail curls upward in a spirited gesture. Balancing playfulness with gravitas, the figure draws on mythological archetypes while remaining distinctly modern in form and finish. The earthy glaze, alternating between olive and russet tones, enhances the creature’s tactile presence, situating it within De Larios’s broader exploration of surface texture and expressive form. The sculpture embodies her fascination with merging the human, animal, and divine into hybrid figures that speak to universal myths and collective imagination. About the Artist Dora De Larios was an American ceramist and sculptor based in Los Angeles whose career spanned over six decades. Born to Mexican immigrant parents, she grew up in a diverse community near Silver Lake and drew early inspiration from Mexican antiquities and Japanese traditions of ceramic art. A graduate of USC, she studied under Otto and Vivika Heino and Susan Peterson, and her early exposure to radical ceramicists such as Peter Voulkos encouraged her move toward expressive, non-functional clay forms. Her practice ranged from intimate vessels to monumental public commissions, including the vast Grand Canyon Concourse mural for Disney World (1970–71). While she achieved recognition for her Irving Place Studio tableware line, De Larios’s sculptural works—often drawing on myth, masks, and pan-cultural spirituality—cement her legacy as a pioneering voice in West Coast ceramics. Her work has been exhibited widely and is held in major collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Context and Legacy This mythical creature stands within De Larios’s lifelong pursuit of blending ancient archetypes with contemporary sensibility. Its hybrid form recalls Japanese Haniwa figures...

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