A Life-Size Chontal Stone Mask Mexico, c. 500-100 BC Carved from mottled hardstone in tones of light brown...

Description

A Life-Size Chontal Stone Mask
Mexico, c. 500–100 BC

Carved from mottled hardstone in tones of light brown and olive green, this powerful mask is boldly conceived with a nearly rectangular face and strongly projecting features. The nose and mouth are raised in a single emphatic central plane, the lips parted as though in speech or invocation. Oblong eyes open beneath thick, elevated brows, while the nose rises in a long narrow triangular form. Linear ears descend at the sides and are pierced at the lobes. A low raised circular boss is carved on each cheek. The mask is unusually thick, giving real depth to the eye and mouth openings and reinforcing its sculptural force.

What distinguishes the piece above all is its commanding design. The broad planes, simplified geometry, and concentration of emphasis in the central features give it an arresting authority, one that helps explain why masks of this general type have long appealed to modern eyes. Yet the work is anything but merely formal. The stone surface bears the marks of great age, with stains, rubbed passages, abrasions, and losses that deepen its presence and testify to a long history of existence and use. Both austere and expressive, it is an exceptional example of Chontal carving, notable for its monumentality, restraint, and enduring sculptural power. With a custom metal stand. In good condition, with surface staining, abrasions, rubbed areas, and losses consistent with age.

Provenance:
Purchased from Carlos Garcia, California, 2014

Height: 7 ½ inches

Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000.

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