Amate Bark Paper Wall Art, Hand Drawn in India Ink
Vertical Format 8"" x 23.5""
By award winning Otomi artisans in Xalitla, Guerrero, Mexico
Casa Lanna Ha Signature Collection
IMPORTANT: this is NOT cut paper craft and NOT painted with colored pigments. This is a fine line ink drawing (tinta china / India ink) executed directly on hand made amate bark paper. Every line, every animal, every leaf is drawn by hand with a fine pen. Look closely and you can see the individual strokes.
THE TWO TRADITIONS BEHIND THIS PIECE
This Amate art is a collaboration between two indigenous Mexican peoples:
The OTOMI of San Pablito, Puebla, make the bark paper. They have
been producing amate this way since before the Spanish arrival,
over one thousand years ago. The bark of the jonote tree is
harvested, boiled, and pounded by hand into a single sheet.
The NAHUA of Guerrero paint on the amate. This narrative tradition
began in the 1960s when Nahua artists started buying amate from
the Otomi to replace the clay pots they had been painting on for
centuries.
This piece is a rare monochromatic ink variant of the Nahua painted
tradition. Most amate you see online is either the colorful painted
style or the Otomi cut geometric ritual designs. Fine line ink work
on Otomi bark paper is a small niche within the Nahua tradition.
Few artisans produce it.
Three editions available:
STANDARD EDITION
The amate arrives unframed rolled in a protective tube. Hand made bark paper, 8" x 23.5" vertical, complete India ink drawing. You supply your own frame.
GALLERY EDITION
The amate is protected between two clear acrylic panels held with black hardware, creating a floating display effect. Includes the 8 inch gallery lamp, certificate of authenticity and
artisan attribution card with Pablo Perez and Marina Martinez biography. A modern, minimalist presentation that lets the ink drawing speak for itself. Ready to hang.
Includes:
- Custom Acryli panles with 4 brackets, ready to hang
- Gallery lamp for professional lighting
- Canvas travel and storage bag
- Complete installation kit
- Certificate of Authenticity signed by Casa Lanna Ha
- Artisan attribution card with Pablo Perez and Marina Martinez biography
- Size of the lamp: 7.8 x 1.39". Charges with Type C Charger and operates by remote in 3 tones.
ABOUT THE ARTISANS
Pablo Perez and Marina Martinez are national artisan award winners from Xalitla, Guerrero. They are among a small circle of Otomi masters who still produce amate the traditional way, from tree bark harvest through the final ink drawing. Each vertical piece takes weeks of pen work. When you buy this you are directly supporting a living Mexican folk art lineage.
WHAT MAKES THIS AMATE DIFFERENT FROM MOST ON THE MARKET
Most amate work sold online is either the paper alone or the colorful figurative paintings (birds, flowers, animals in bright pigment) associated with Guerrero. This piece is a completely different tradition: fine line ink drawing that fills the entire sheet with village scenes, symbolic animals, sacred plants, and a decorative border. It reads like a folk art woodcut. Nothing looks like it.
WHAT AMATE IS
Amate is the oldest surviving paper making tradition in the Americas, predating the Spanish arrival. The bark is stripped from the jonote tree, boiled, then pounded fiber by fiber onto a wooden board until it forms a single sheet. Every amate has a unique fiber pattern (no two are alike).
AUTHENTIC HANDMADE AMATE PAPER
Unlike machine-made paper, handmade amate preserves the natural character of the tree bark. Variations in tone, visible fibers, and darker areas are expected and celebrated as evidence of its handmade origin—not imperfections. These unique characteristics ensure that no two sheets are ever exactly alike. The darker areas, color variations, and natural marks are not stains or defects. They are genuine characteristics of the bark fibers and are an inherent part of the papermaking process.
PERFECT FOR
- Tall narrow walls, stairwells, entryway strips
- Collectors of authentic Mexican folk art
- Interior designers sourcing statement pieces
- Anyone who wants a signed, museum grade artisan work in black and cream tones
MATERIALS & FINISH
Hand made amate bark paper, India ink (tinta china), 11.5"" wide by 48"" tall. Museum Edition shadow box: solid wood frame, museum grade backing, gallery lamp with dimmable bulb, canvas storage bag.
SHIPPING
Ships to United States and Mexico. UPS available.
CUSTOM DUTIES AND IMPORT TAXES
🇺🇸 U.S. Orders
Import duties are covered by Casa Lanna Ha. No unexpected customs fees on delivery.
🌍 All Other Countries
Import duties, taxes, brokerage fees, and customs charges are the buyer's responsibility. Determined by your local customs authority. Orders will not be canceled or refunded for unpaid customs charges.
Casa Lanna Ha curates the best of Mexican folk art from master artisans across the country. Every piece is documented, attributed, and shipped with full provenance.
