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THBExpressive Teotihuacan Stone Anthropomorphic Mask
Lot 208
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$8,000 - $12,000
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Bid Increments
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Mar 24, 2022
Set Reminder
2022-03-24 10:00:00
2022-03-24 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-9057
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (416)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Valley of Mexico, Teotihuacan culture, Classic Period, ca. 450 to 650 CE. A stunning anthropomorphic face mask exhibiting characteristic Teotihuacan stylization, all hand-carved from dark gray-green stone with ample cream-hued veining. The intriguing guise exhibits a pair of wide, deep, ovoid eyes with 2 pupils drilled inside each orbital, a gently furrowed and sweeping brows, gently rounded cheeks that traverse down to vertical nasolabial folds, a bulbous nose with annular nostrils, and parted lips with a drilled cavity inside each corner; tab-shaped ears each bear a biconically drilled suspension hole for ornamentation. The uncarved verso and quartet of drilled attachment holes suggest this mask was intended as a burial offering for the dead rather than a wearable ceremonial mask for the living. Size: 5.5" W x 5.625" H (14 cm x 14.3 cm); custom display stand included.
The sacred city of Teotihuacan ("the place where the gods were created") was at one time the largest city in the Pre-Columbian world. It was famous for its pyramids (Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon) as well as the Great Compound with the Temple of Quetzalcoatl (aka Temple of the Plumed Serpent) that punctuated the Avenue of the Dead.
Stone masks like this example are perhaps the best-known works of Teotihuacan art. According to scholars, they are believed to have been part of funerary furniture; however, no masks have been found in burial chambers. Instead, archaeologists have discovered them in the vicinity of temples and complexes along the Avenue of the Dead. Some speculate that they may have been attached to wooden armatures in temples to represent deities on their journey to achieving godhood.
Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1978.412.198
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Meza Family collection, Whittier, California, USA, acquired in the 1960s; ex-Fernandez Family collection, by descent in the 1940s from his grandfather, Dr. R. Fernandez, MD
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#170390Small nicks and chips to chin, lips, peripheries, and verso, with heavy abrasions to both eyes, and areas of damage to left eye and left ear lug. Nice smooth surfaces throughout. Very expressive mask!Condition
- Shipping Info
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