Signed Candelario Medrano; church, 15' tall, Authentic Piece

Peos Priced Item;   This church measures 4" by 7" and 15" tall. He was iliterate and rarely signed his works. Near the end of his life, he had his grandchildren sign his name to some pieces for gringos who treasured "signed" pieces.. This is signed on the back with about half the name "Medrano" still visible.  In good condition, but not perfect, some of the people are missing, there is one area of the base to the cfross that is chipped off.     Candelario Medrano (1918-1986) . From Santa Cruz de las Huertas, Tonalá , Jalisco. Surrealist craftsman, popular artist, trained under the various techniques that are transmitted from generation to generation between families of artisans. He was born on February 2, 1918, at the age of 17 he abandoned his trade as a clay drain spout maker to create sculptures made with the same material but profusely colored. In 1960 his work began to be fully appreciated, reaching true importance and recognition not only in Mexico but universally, although he never understood that it was classified as a surrealist work at Harvard or Berkeley Universities . The Nelson Rockefeller Collections acquired pieces of his work. Of surprising creativity and imagination, he was the creator of Arcas de Noé with everything in it, mariacheros, kiosks of floating tastoanes, kiosks that almost fly and circuses with the fattest woman; churches and cathedrals with high towers full of pigeons and doves, passenger trucks with chickens and everything; planes with paunchy angels, derailed trains, bullrings. Candelario: the surrealist popular genius, was capable of all this and more. Awards: Several national recognitions received "Don Cande" . In 1983, the Institute of Crafts and FONART awarded him the State Prize for Ceramics. In 1986 in the National Ceramics contest of Tlaquepaque , Jal . He received the Pantaleón Panduro Award , later the Government of the State of Jalisco awarded him the State Award. Important Museums in Mexico, the United States and Europe have him in their collections. A good man, cheerful and talkative, he liked parties at home and in town, he played the position of "moreno" in the festival of the Tastoanes where he danced and drank. Candelario died as he lived: crushed and poor but always happy." (This data is from a Mexican government internet post.