page_title: Cartonería
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Cartonería / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Alebrije en progress at the Fábrica de Artes y Oficios de Oriente (FARO) in Iztapalapa, Mexico City
context_page_description: Cartonería or papier-mâché sculptures are a traditional handcraft in Mexico. The papier-mâché works are also called "carton piedra" for the rigidness of the final product. These sculptures today are generally made for certain yearly celebrations, especially for the Burning of Judas during Holy Week and various decorative items for Day of the Dead. However, they also include piñatas, mojigangas, masks, dolls and more made for various other occasions. There is also a significant market for collectors as well. Papier-mâché was introduced into Mexico during the colonial period, originally to make items for church. Since then, the craft has developed, especially in central Mexico. In the 20th century, the creation of works by Mexico City artisans Pedro Linares and Carmen Caballo Sevilla were recognized as works of art with patrons such as Diego Rivera. The craft has become less popular with more recent generations, but various government and cultural institutions work to preserve it.
context_section_description: Cartonería, the making of three-dimensional sculptures with papier-mâché, is part of Mexico's tradition of paper based handcrafts.  Paper was developed in the region during the Mesoamerican period using the bark of a type of fig tree called amate or the fibers of the maguey plant. The Spanish banned its production after the Conquest, because of its use in religious rites, forcing the conversion to European and Asian produced paper. However, the ban never was complete and the production of amate paper still continues especially in parts of Puebla and Veracruz states.
  A kind of "proto-cartonería" was done in the early colonial period. At this time, layers of paper were affixed using animal glue to make versions of religious icons to be used in processions.
  Modern papier-mâché was introduced into Mexico around the 17th century as a way to make objects for churches with its use most developed in central Mexico. In Celaya, the creation of these figures became a trade much the way metalwork and pottery did, with the work dominated by certain families. Since this time, the technique has been used to make a wide variety of objects for both ritual, festival and decorative use, mostly by poorer indigenous and mestizo communities. The paper and cardboard used is mostly waste paper, such as old newspapers and boxes, with decorative elements, such as crepe paper being new. Most shapes are created with molds, then painted with acrylics.
  Most of the production since colonial times has followed the annual calendar of religious and civic events. Today, this includes figures of horses with wheels for Epiphany, figures of Judas Iscariot to burn for Holy Saturday, parrots for May and clowns for June. For the feast of John the Evangelist, traditional figures include ponies, clowns and dolls with movable legs and arms. For Independence Day in September, objects include play helmets and swords, along with images of eagles and Father Hidalgo. Day of the Dead produces figures such as skeletons which "dance" when dangled on the end of a string, skulls and coffins, with Christmas producing nativity scenes and traditional piñatas with points. Year round production includes piñatas for birthday parties, which usually represent figures from popular culture as well as mojigangas, masks, alebrijes and dolls. There is also a significant market for items created for collectors.
  Mexico City has the best known production of cartonería, with markets such as La Merced, Jamaica and Sonora centers for its sale. Celaya is known for its production of cardboard and papier-mâché toys and masks, which begins in January and February in time for Carnival. Toys include "Prussian" helmets and swords and dolls whose arms and legs are movable which often have the name of the child painted on the chest. The masks represent clowns, devils, goats, witches, old people, sultans, monkeys and beautiful women. They are formed using clay, wood or plaster molds, and then decorated with paint and other materials for create details such as mustaches. The Cora indigenous population in Jesús María, El Nayar and Santa Teresa communities in Nayarit create papier-mâché maks for Holy Week, often to depict the Pharisees. These are generally placed in the river on Holy Saturday to dissolve as an act of purification.
  Cartonería work received a boost from the work of 20th century artisans such as Pedro Linares and Carmen Caballero Sevilla, who created more artistic works, reinventing traditional forms and creating new ones. These caught the attention of artists such as Diego Rivera and academics, creating a new market related to collectors. The Linares family remains internationally known for its creations, and has trained other artists such as Ruben Guzman in Oakland, CA . Despite its historic importance, fewer of the younger generations are dedicating themselves to the crafts as many of the areas known for it, such as Mexico City and Celaya, continue to urbanize. To counter this, cultural centers and institutions such as CONACULTA give workshops and sponsor events such as contests to keep t
caption: Giant alebrije being painted at the Fábrica de Artes y Oficios Oriente center in Mexico City
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