JSG ESTATE LIQUIDATION

This charming vintage black velvet painting depicts a wide-eyed Mexican girl with braided pigtails tied with pink ribbons, dressed in a ruffled turquoise blue blouse, affectionately embracing a brown and white donkey against a dramatic dark background with golden yellow brushstrokes in the foreground. The work is executed in the classic black velvet painting tradition that flourished in Mexico and the American Southwest during the 1950s through 1970s, a genre that became iconic in border towns and tourist markets and is now highly collectible as authentic mid-century folk art. The artist's signature appears in white in the lower right corner, reading what appears to be 'Aristotas' or similar — a hand-applied signature consistent with original hand-painted velvet works rather than mass-produced prints. The painting is rendered with skilled brushwork, particularly notable in the realistic fur texture of the donkey's face and the expressive, oversized eyes characteristic of the Mexican 'big eyes' folk art style popularized during this era. The piece is presented in a simple black wood frame with an off-white/cream mat, with glass glazing, and the overall framed dimensions appear to be approximately 14 x 18 inches. Condition is rated Very Good: the velvet surface retains strong, vibrant color with no significant fading, the paint application is intact with no visible cracking or flaking, and the frame shows minor wear consistent with age. The glass has a light reflection glare visible in photos but no cracks or chips noted. A wonderful example of Southwest and Latin American folk art tradition that appeals to collectors of vintage Mexicana, Western Americana, and mid-century decorative arts popular throughout Colorado and the broader Southwest market.