Lot 15B
Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Guerrero state, Mezcala culture, ca. 400 to 100 BCE. A gorgeous standing anthropomorphic axe god figure, hand-carved from a mottled, emerald-green diorite with beautiful light and dark inclusions, and polished in modern times. The delineated legs taper to an acute point, hence the name "axe" god, and a curved bar across the abdomen is indicative of folded arms while ridged shoulders frame the rectangular body. A slender neck supports a slightly-triangular face with petite ears, a cresting nose, an open mouth, and a plateaued brow line. The facial features, as well as details along the torso and legs, are all delineated by way of the meticulous string-cutting technique. This is an exceptional example based on its painstaking craftsmanship, beautiful stone coloration, and overall completeness of form! Museum-quality display stand included. Size: 5" H (12.7 cm); 5.25" H (13.3 cm) on included custom stand.
The Mezcala sculptors brilliantly used string-saw technology to differentiate facial features and limbs. The ancient artisans of this region were particularly adept at reducing the human body to simple, eloquent forms via this string cut technique. The result ironically appeals to a modernist taste for minimalism. Mezcala sculptural works are equally appealing for the inherent beauty of the stone selected by the ancients. This example is no exception!
For similar examples, please see: Gay, Carlo. MEZCALA: Ancient Stone Sculpture from Guerrero, Mexico. Balsas Publications, Geneva, Switzerland, 1992, pp. 193 - 199.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Cosby collection
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#131262
- Condition: Expected age-commensurate surface wear, with minor nicks to feet, verso, and top of head, otherwise intact and excellent. Light earthen deposits within some recessed areas, and nice mineral deposits throughout.
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