Luis Hidalgo (Mexico, 1899-1957), pair of wax figures, depicting a man and woman, both carrying large bundles of flowers on their back, signed on front of each sculpture, 1938; iconic subject matter for both Hidalgo and Diego Rivera

height 14 in. x width 12.5 in. x depth 1.5 in. / each

Provenance: Property from a home in San Antonio, Texas

Born in Morelia Mexico, Luis Hidalgo was heir to a family dedicated to making wax figurines for Nativity scenes, an occupation that dated back at least to the early 19th century. Beginning in the 1920s, Hidalgo modernized the tradition by making humorous caricatures of his contemporaries. Hidalgo seems to have depicted every imaginable figure, from local types like the Oaxacan dancers and Dr. Atl, to international personalities ranging from the Prince of Wales to tennis star Bill Tilden. In the roaring 'twenties, his work was widely seen and exhibited and his works sold for high prices, sometimes for more than watercolors by Tamayo or Rivera.