Banana Leaf Sculpture Appraisal

Vintage Mexican Folk Art Dried Banana Leaf Figure

This is a hand-crafted folk art figurine depicting a traditional water carrier, likely originating from Mexico. The piece is primarily constructed from shaped and dried banana leaves or corn husks, which have been layered and manipulated to create the form of a man in historical or rural attire. He wears a wide-brimmed sombrero and baggy trousers, carrying two miniature jugs or pots attached to his arm. The color palette consists of natural earth tones, ranging from deep chocolate browns to light sandy tans, achieved through the varying drying stages of the organic plant material. The figure is mounted on a simple rectangular wooden base. Notable features include the intricate folding of the material to represent clothing folds and the detailed shaping of the face and carrying vessels. In terms of condition, the organic material shows signs of aging with minor brittleness, dust accumulation in the crevices, and slight fraying at the edges of the hat and feet, which is typical for this medium. The craftsmanship is of good quality for a tourist or regional folk art piece, showcasing traditional manipulation techniques used in Latin American 'figuras de hoja de plátano'. It likely dates from the mid-to-late 20th century.