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Collections

MATL (Matilde Poulat)
Framed Mask Brooch (Prendedor con máscara enmarcada)circa 1940

Not on view
Silver brooch with a shield-shaped frame set with a polished black stone carved in low relief as a simplified human face, with scroll ornaments at upper right and lower left
Reverse of a silver metal brooch showing a raised maker's cartouche with script lettering, pin clasp visible at lower right, surface with visible scratches and wear
Artist or Maker
MATL (Matilde Poulat)
Mexico, circa 1888-1960
Title
Framed Mask Brooch (Prendedor con máscara enmarcada)
Date Made
circa 1940
Medium
Silver, obsidian
Dimensions
2 × 1 3/4 × 1 in. (5.08 × 4.45 × 2.54 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Ronald A. Belkin, Long Beach, California
Accession Number
M.2013.4.23
Classification
Jewelry and Adornments
Collecting Area
Latin American Art
Curatorial Notes
Martilde Poulat, who signed her work "MATL," was a classically trained painter who became a silver designer in 1934. MATL drew inspiration from ancient art and popular traditions. This group of objects references earlier designs introduced by Frederick Walter Davis, who was one of the first to use obsidian and small carved masks mounted in silver. The combination of these materials produced a striking effect that made this type of design highly popular.