Mexican Barro Negro Woman-Shaped Bell rose design San Jose Mission

San Jose Mission

with a bit of discoloration to the bottom black layer only in the area covered by the silver top layer

There is some crazing visible in the white glaze of the flower and a bit of bleed of the brown glaze

This wonderful Burmese box is a lovely green with finely detailed flowers and vines incised in silver

Mexican Barro Negro Woman-Shaped Bell rose design San Jose MissionWhen I saw this Mexican woman shaped bell at an antique shop going out of business in Liberty, Missouri, I immediately thought of Velasquezs las Meninas.Like the infanta at the center of that painting, she seems posed and self possesed, head slightly turned and arms positioned at the top of voluminous skirt, with an expression that renders her forever elusive. I find her super compelling, Plus she hides a bell beneath that shirt! She is emblematic of