Lot 142E
Pre-Columbian, Guatemala, Mayan Territories, Late Classic period, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A large, impressive stucco portrait head, depicting a fierce individual with huge eyes, a large nose, and a round headdress. Slight remains of red pigment are still visible on the headdress and lower part of the hanging earrings / headdress flaps that are on either side of the chin, reminding us that when first made, the face would have been fully painted with a variety of bright colors. This face must have once decorated a temple or public space. We know that some of these stucco heads represent ancestors and others represent gods and mythological figures. This one, with its abstract features, is probably a member of the Mayan religious pantheon. Size: 9.25" W x 17.65" H (23.5 cm x 44.8 cm); 18" H (45.7 cm) on included custom stand.
Modeled stucco, made from a lime-based plaster, was one of the major artistic innovations of pre-Columbian Mexico and Central America. Mayan cities were covered in stucco, from architectural features like this head to floors, wall coatings, and free-standing sculptures. However, stucco was also relatively fragile, and after the downfall of the Mayan civilization, stucco artwork was often the first to degrade in the elements - meaning that finds like this one are rare.
Provenance: collection of the late Alfred E. Stendahl, Stendahl Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired prior to 1990
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#126390
- Condition: Piece is a fragment, with losses around the edges; part of the nose is lost and there are small losses on the underside of the face, but much of the facial details remain. Three large cracks have been stabilized.
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