Decorative Figure (Burnished clay)

Michoacán is a world reference in craftsmanship, a land of ancestral techniques. It has the largest number of artisan processes in Mexico distributed in its seven regions, the result of a fusion of cultures that have evolved from the utilitarian to the decorative and artistic, manifested in the delicacy of copper, the elegance of the glaze, the soft touch of the burnished and the symbolism of its pottery to the negative. The pottery to the negative is the pre-Hispanic technique that gave origin to the current ceramics, it demonstrates the great specialized artisan knowledge given its complexity, richness of forms, decorations and shiny and smooth finish to the touch. Zinapécuaro's craftsmanship is distinguished by its adherence, more than any other pottery center, to the pre-Hispanic forms of Tarascan pottery in the texture of the clay and the shapes of its vessels. This magnificent basin is molded, carved and ornamented entirely by hand, and stands out for its unique coloring and polychromatic decoration. Of great aesthetic sense and cultural value, it presents a palette of bright orange and turquoise tones in a burnished finish. Negative pottery is an ancestral technique, one of the four decorative types characteristic of western Mexico, its vestiges are found in Michoacán around 1500 BC. This technique with pre-Hispanic designs proposes the use of an element that evaporates with the contact with heat to reveal the motifs captured in the pieces. It consists of putting an engobe when putting the pieces in the oven, which is a natural clay pigment, which is impregnated and polished, once cooked it is decorated for a second firing and even at high temperature it is given an oxidation effect to remove the decoration so that the decoration is captured below as a shadow or negative. This last reduction firing is what determines the final finish, making each of these pieces unique, unrepeatable, of unique beauty and of great cultural value. Among the peasant population, pottery is a basic activity as important as agriculture that ensures daily food and family sustenance, while pottery is the only means to obtain cash income without the risk of alienating the harvest. The pottery of Zinapécuaro is very diverse, with flashes of indigenous and Spanish tradition, which evolved bending to the currents of mestizo taste. It is considered the most Mexican pottery. It is a national art with an Indian background, in the elaboration it maintains a traditional organization and of familiar character, in which all the adult, young and children members of the families participate actively, each one with specific tasks.