Ecuadorian Masapán bread sculpture

Masapán sculpting is a special craft technique associated with the town of Calderón, Quito in Ecuador. It is an art form from where beautiful and detailed figurines are created from a bread dough mixture. These figurines can be anything from fruits, animals, people, ornaments, nativity scenes, etc.

History

Masapán literally translates into masa (dough) pán (bread). Women in and around the region of Calderón, Ecuador have been making dough art for generations as a holiday tradition. The recipe for the mixture is simple. It is a combination of wheat flour, white glue, and water. This recipe varies from family to family and is kept secret as it is passed down from generation to generation. Beginning around 1940 they began selling their figurines in local shops.