Description:

Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Vera Cruz, ca. 6th to 8th century CE. A tall hand-built terracotta bust of Xipe Totec, "The Flayed One", with closed eyes, a hooked nose, arched brows with a nodule between, high cheekbones, an open mouth revealing three large teeth, and a jutting chin. The visage is adorned by a grand headdress with a meticulously rendered headband of shell-like ornaments and a tiered form with curvilinear attachments flanking it, as well as large rectangular ear ornaments. The recess on top was likely created for offerings. Such depictions are known to be representative of the deity Xipe Totec, a god meant to symbolize the regeneration of the agricultural cycle, sometimes showing Xipi Totec himself and sometimes showing a ritual participant wearing a flayed human skin as a mask. Size: 12.5" H (31.8 cm); 14" H (35.6 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s

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#140800

  • Condition: Headdress repaired from about 3 to 6 pieces and reattached. Probable repair to neck. Normal surface wear commensurate with age with nicks to high-pointed areas and abraded areas. Surface wear with earthen and mineral deposits.

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December 6, 2018 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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