Nativities from the Permanent Collection
Celebrate the holidays with a visit the Palice Pavilion to view the beautiful wax nativity figures from Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Sisters of the Augustinian Order brought the art of wax figures to Mexico during the Colonial Period. The tradition is still carried on by several people in the village of Salamanca. Velia Villasenor de Alba created the 16 figures in this nativity between 1974 and 1978. To make the figures, the original forms are modeled from clay, and then plaster or silicon molds are prepared. A mixture of bees wax, paraffin, zinc, and pigment are heated and mixed together. The warm mixture is cast into the molds. Wires are inserted if the limbs need to bend. The clothed figures have a wooden torso. When the figures are dressed the inside of the robes are painted with paste to stiffen the cloth. The resulting effects are stunning. This collection will be augmented by other nativity figures from the permanent collection.
