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HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Aztec Art : Aztec Stone Sculpture of an Animal/Human
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Aztec Stone Sculpture of an Animal/Human - PF.2188
Origin: Mexico
Circa: 1300
AD
to 1521
AD
Dimensions:
4" (10.2cm) high
x 8.5" (21.6cm) wide
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Medium: Stone
$1,800.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
Aztec....the name immediately evokes a
magnificent culture, one with a pantheon of
awe-inspiring gods, dramatically spendid
ceremonies and rituals, and an abundance of
monumental art and architecture. Highly adept
at working with stone, the Aztec artists created
artworks that were both grand in scale, as
evidenced in their temple architecture, and
relatively small in size, as seen in this fantastic
composite animal-human figure. Like many
cultures, the Aztecs believed that many animals
had supernatural symbolic associations.
Therefore, although the Aztec gods were usually
visualized in human form, most gods also had
animal aspects. Moreover, it was believed that
both men and gods could, at certain times,
actually change themselves into powerful
animals. Perhaps what we are experiencing in
this spirited stone sculpture is one such
transformation, interpreted by an inspired and
highly talented Aztec artist. Crouched before us
on curling legs is some form of animal whose
large, all-seeing eyes scrutinize its
surroundings. At the opposite end of the
creature, a man's face appears. Protuding from
between the animal's legs as if it were about to
emerge full-bodied from the very animal itself.
Highly symbolic, this compelling sculpture gives
us a tantilizing glimpse into the collective mind
and spirit of the Aztecs. While its original
meaning may have been erased by the sweeping
passage of time, the sculpture nevertheless
communicates on a primal level, emotions that
are shared by all mankind.
- (PF.2188)
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