Menu
EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBSuperb Teotihuacan Serpentine Mask
Lot 129
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:
$4,500 - $6,750
Absentee vs Live bid
Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $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
Jul 14, 2022
Set Reminder
2022-07-14 10:00:00
2022-07-14 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographica Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographica-fine-art-9692
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 (380)
- Lot Description
Pre-Columbian, Central Mexico, Teotihuacan, ca. 450 to 650 CE. How lovely! An exemplary Teotihuacan mask sculpted from serpentine in rich hues of midnight green, olivine, and sage, and presenting a characteristic angular visage with bold features. The engaging vizard boasts an elongated face comprised of recessed, ovoid eyes with drilled tear ducts beneath gracefully arched brows, a slender nasal bridge, a broad nose with delineated nostrils, and raised cheekbones. Held open as though mid-speech, the expressive mouth displays a bowed upper lip and fleshy lower lip. An elongated, rectangular ear is shown on 1 side of the face, featuring an annular drill hole for suspending ornaments. The naturalistic jaw is contrasted by the forehead which exhibits sharp angles and a straight top. A drill hole on the verso would have helped attach this mask to another object, perhaps a sculpture of a human or deity. Size: 4.1" W x 6.4" H (10.4 cm x 16.3 cm); 9.3" H (23.6 cm) on included custom stand.
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. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 00.5.1437, 1987.394.721, Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990.229, 1950.409, Baltimore Museum of Art, 1984.233, Saint Louis Art Museum, 5:1948, Palazzo Pitti, gemme 1921 no. 284, and Yale University Art Gallery, 1980.13.12.
Provenance: ex-Nancy and Dr. E.F. Simpson collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from Malter Gallery 1993
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.
#172283Losses to proper right side of forehead, brow, eye, cheekbone, and ear. Stable hairline fissures to upper left forehead, right cheek, and lower left chin. Minor chip to top of forehead. Some areas of miniscule chips and nicks to forehead, nose, and cheeks. Abraded surfaces to verso. Otherwise, excellent with nice preservation of details and light earthen deposits in areas. Collection label on verso.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
-
- Buyer's Premium
