Francisco Toledo was born in Oaxaca, Mexico where he studied at the Escuela de Bellas Artes. Upon moving to Mexico City, he met Rufino Tamayo who quickly became one of his main supporters and mentors. Toledo culminated his studies in Paris and returned to Mexico where he would become an influential figure in the cultural development of his home city via his involvement with the Contemporary Museum of Oaxaca.
He has produced an incredibly prolific body of work that includes lithographs, engravings, watercolors, sculpture, ceramics and tapestries. He renders these fantastical creatures and forms with bold painterly brushstrokes and manipulates the texture by employing gold leaf and sand in certain areas. His works continually deal with the physical exploration of material, providing the viewer with insights into his process and imagination.