The Catrina gives you an impression of a very important part of Mexican culture, death is omnipresent and, consequently, so is life. These extraordinary pieces of art represent elegance, beauty, and above all, transcendence.
The Catrina acts both as a critical approach to the importance given to material things, and the acceptance of death as an inevitable part of life.
The first images of the Catrina emerged from the lower classes as a caricature of the higher classes and the aristocracy in Mexican society. Wearing the finest clothing and jewellery will not change the fact that in death, we are all skeletons, regardless of social class.
Underneath we are the same. Now, the Catrinas instill a force of life in the spectator: live life humbly, yet know that there is no time to waste.
Handcrafted sculptures
The wonderfully colourful Mexican sculptures are 100% handcrafted by artisan families in villages of the center of Mexico. These families are passionately dedicated to creating ceramics, and the Catrinas in particular, using locally sourced clay. The center of Mexico boasts some beautiful and traditional towns that are devoted to mastering a specific artisan craft.
We hand-pick and import the best Catrinas to Belgium, a tricky feat, as the Catrinas are delicate. When they first arrive here, we make sure to give them some love and care before they can stand proudly in your living room, restaurant, tattoo shop, or wherever you want them to shine.
The people behind Glorious Catrinas
We are a Belgian-Mexican couple living in Antwerp, Belgium. After years of collecting our own Catrinas and learning to choose the very best pieces, it’s high time we share the experience of owning a Catrina (or even an entire collection) with fellow admirers.
We count with a solid collective of artists that after receiving our design requirements, present their best pieces for our selection.
We only offer pieces of the best quality that must first pass our very own set of standards, before we offer them up for sale.
The woman of Mexico
“La Catrina has become the referential image of Death and transcendence in life in Mexico, it is common to see her embodied as part of the celebrations of Day of the Dead throughout the country; she has become a motive for the creation of handcrafts made from clay or other materials, her representations may vary, as well as the hat.” – J.G. Posada
