Josefina Aguilar, a Mexican folk artist known for her small clay figurines called muñecas, died on February 13, 2026.
Born Margarita Josefina Aguilar Alcántara in Ocotlán de Morelos, Oaxaca, on February 22, 1945, she learned the art from her mother and grandmother. A member of the Aguilar family, she used red clay to depict village activities, religious and folkloric scenes, famous figures, and Day of the Dead figures.
Aguilar said each figurine she made was unique, and after becoming blind in 2014, she continued working by touch.
Margarita Josefina Aguilar Alcántara (February 22, 1945 – February 13, 2026) was a Mexican folk artist from Ocotlán de Morelos, Oaxaca. A member of the Aguilar family, she is best known for her small clay figurines called muñecas (dolls), an artform she learned from her mother. Aguilar uses red clay to create depictions of everyday village activities, religious and folkloric scenes, famous figures, and special Day of the Dead statues. Collectors of her work include Nelson Rockefeller, who discovered her work on a trip to Oaxaca in 1978, and San Diego folk art collectors Barbara and Lee Roper. Aguilar says each figurine she makes is unique. She became blind in 2014 and now uses touch to create her art. One of her major collectors quoted her as saying “It’s not the eyes. It’s the hand and the brain.”