Hand-Carved 15-Piece Trastero from Cuanajo

A hand-carved 15-piece wooden wall shelf (trastero) from Cuanajo, Michoacán, created within one of the region's longstanding woodworking traditions. Designed to hold a complete set of small vessels or domestic objects, the piece transforms storage into ornament through dense floral carving, birds in relief, and rhythmic geometric detailing.

Traditionally displayed in the home, trasteros like this were used to organize and present utilitarian wares while also serving as decorative focal points. Left in natural wood, the surface reveals the extraordinary precision of the carving and the warmth of the material itself, preserving the subtle marks of handwork throughout.

Dimensions
7" L x 24" W x 24" H

About Woodworking from Cuanajo
Located in the Purépecha highlands near Pátzcuaro, Cuanajo has long been recognized as one of Michoacán's most important woodworking centers. Known for hand-carved furniture and domestic objects, the town preserves a tradition of carving deeply rooted in regional material culture and shaped over generations of workshop practice. Working primarily in locally sourced woods, makers in Cuanajo transform everyday forms through carving — adding texture, rhythm, and subtle ornament to objects intended for daily life. The carving traditions of the region are often linked to the craft systems encouraged by Vasco de Quiroga in the colonial period, when towns throughout the Lake Pátzcuaro region developed specialized forms of making.

Domingo de Ramos — Juried Selection
The Domingo de Ramos tianguis in Uruapan, Michoacán is one of Mexico's most celebrated popular art markets, and home to an annual juried competition hosted by Casa de la Cultura. Each piece in this collection was recognized for exceptional craftsmanship and selected by Raul Cabra, curator and founder of La Embajada.

About Handmade Pieces
Crafted by hand using techniques passed down through generations of master artisans. Variations in color, texture, and finish are inherent to the process — each piece is, by nature, one of a kind.