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Home > Art > Mezcala-Chontal Standing Figure

Mezcala-Chontal Standing Figure

Brown stone figure with geometric cuts and hollows indicating physical and facial features.
Artist

Unknown Artist

Date

1800-1200 BCE

Medium

Unidentified brown stone

Object Type

Sculpture

Dimensions

H- 6 3/4 x W- 2 2/3 x D- 1/8 in. (17.1 x 6.7 x .3 cm)

Collecting Area

Pre-Columbian

Credit Line

The Jan T. and Marica Vilcek Collection

Accession Number

2008.02.1

Copyright

© The Vilcek Foundation

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Brown stone figure with geometric cuts and hollows indicating physical and facial features.

About the Object

The Mezcala carved and polished an unknown brown stone to create this Mezcala standing figure. It has typical Mezcala features such as a largely flat head, slight indentations for the eyes, prominent brown slight nose, vertical cuts for ears, and indentation creating the mouth. This work is perhaps most notable for its carved-out arms, which define the figure’s torso while forearms/hands lie across the body. The original celt, or hand axe, blade from which this standing figure was carved has also been cut to the center to create distinct legs.

 

Additional Information

Some scholars have argued that this type of Mezcala work, originating in what is today the Mexican state of Guerrero, reveals stylistic connections to Teotihuacan objects, most notable in the head and face of the figure. Whatever the case, such stylistic elements are believed to help date this object toward the later phase of the Mezcala tradition and were likely associated with burial rituals.

[Throckmorton Fine Art, New York, NY];

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