. I've been captivated by Mexican masked wrestlers for decades. The trick is always, what to do that hasn't been done before?

Luchadores always assume quite formal poses for their photographs. I was thinking where else I had encountered such formality, and the awareness came that this is a tradition dating back to Renaissance portraiture.

I selected a portrait by the great portrait artist Hans Holbein for my portrait of Mascara Roja (Red Mask). Where Holdein set his subject in an Italo-Grecian chamber of his invention, I substituted an Italo-Aztec one.

The legend at bottom is in Nahuatl, the Aztec tongue, and comes from a poem by the great poet-king Netzahuacoyotl, and reads "O great bird of rubber throat!" Seemed most appropriate.

I keep thinking I'll do more of these; we'll see....

Zan Ca Tlauhquechol

by J Michael Walker, 1996 Color pencil on paper, 40"high x 22"wide