A Monumental Teotihuacan Mask...

Description

A Monumental Teotihuacan Mask
Mexico, c. 250-600 AD

Carved from a mottled light blue-green hardstone, this large, life-size mask presents a mature face with wide-open eyes and mouth, giving it a more forceful and animated presence than many idealized Teotihuacan examples. The reverse is carved with a raised ridge, almost yoke-like in form, suggesting that the mask was fitted to a larger support or armature rather than worn directly. Particularly unusual are the drilled perforations running from the nostrils to the reverse; while not a standard feature on every Teotihuacan mask, they may relate to attachment, stabilization, or the insertion of additional elements, and reinforce the object's original functional complexity. Teotihuacan stone masks of this kind were likely affixed to perishable human or divine effigies, mortuary bundles, or other ceremonial constructions, where the enduring stone face gave lasting presence to a sacred or idealized being. In very good condition.

Provenance:
The Vilcek Foundation

Width: 8 ¾ inches

Estimate: $15,000 - $25,000.

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