Unknown, Beatriz Caso with Monumento a Benito Juárez, 1963

A brilliant photograph of the Mexican sculptor Beatriz Caso, found via Jennifer Higgie

. Caso was greatly influenced by pre-Columbian art, which she discovered at an early age courtesy of her archeologist father. She was best known for her monumental sculptural portraits in plaster of Paris, clay and other media, which were frequently embellished with precious stones to emulate the ancient works she so admired. Here she is with her characterful sculpture of Benito Pablo Juárez García, who, Higgie explains, was “a liberal politician, lawyer and the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872.”