Description:

Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Guerrero, Chontal, ca. 200 to 600 CE. A fascinating greenstone mask likely depicting a deity or shaman likely in the act of transformation due to its mesmerizing gaze with huge, spiraling eyes, fleshy lips that downturn at the edges as though making room for growing fangs, and broad nose with flared nostrils as though widening to form a snout. Crowned by a trifurcated headdress with 3 deep indentations, the ancient visage appears almost entranced as lips slightly part, appearing as if under the influence of a sacred hallucinogen. The Guerrero region of modern-day southwestern Mexico was the center of the Chontal stone carving tradition. Chontal sculptors imbued their artworks with a greater sense of naturalism than to their Mezcala counterparts, though they still adhered to a minimalist aesthetic when creating anthropomorphic pieces. Size: 4.8" W x 6" H (12.2 cm x 15.2 cm)

Provenance: ex-Marc Amiguet Schmitt estate, Amiguet's Ancient Art, Evansville, Indiana, USA, acquired prior to January 1, 2010

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#173398

  • Condition: Possibly part of a larger figure. Chipping with some loss to area on lower left side of chin. Some light nicks and abrasions commensurate with age. Otherwise, nicely preserved with ample remaining details and light earthen deposits in areas.

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October 27, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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