Antonio Alonso: Day of the Dead Catrina with Pets Paper Mache
Antonio Alonso: Day of the Dead Catrina with Pets Paper Mache
This remarkable papier-mâché sculpture by Antonio Alonso depicts a serene Catrina dressed in a layered white gown inspired by traditional Oaxacan lacework. In her arms, she holds a skeleton cat, while a faithful Xoloitzcuintle, Mexico’s mythical spirit dog, sits protectively by her side. Adorned with paper flowers and birds in her hair, she embodies both the joy and tenderness of the Día de Muertos celebration, where love transcends the boundary between life and death.
Antonio Alonso is one of Oaxaca’s rising masters of cartonería, the intricate art of papier-mâché sculpture. Working from his studio in Oaxaca City, he transforms recycled paper, cardboard, and wire into expressive figures that celebrate Mexico’s imagination and identity. His pieces often feature Xoloitzcuintles, opossums, Tehuanas (Oaxacan women), and other emblematic characters of Oaxacan life, blending humor, symbolism, and social reflection.
A graduate of Oaxaca’s School of Plastic and Visual Arts, Antonio discovered papier-mâché only a few years ago, yet has already won nine major competitions, including national and state awards.
