Male figure with trophy head, Classic period, ca. 250 - 900 AD ·  Mexico, Maya · ID: 3052987

Description

stucco, polychrome painted, on pedestal (w/d: 51.5 cm / 26 cm) mounted on acrylic panel (h/w: 136 cm / 52 cm)

The impressive figure is adorned with decorative elements such as ear discs and a large pectoral. Particularly striking is its elaborately styled hair arranged in flowing coils and the substantial headband. In its right hand, he holds a severed head. The figure is relatively flat in form, and the back remains unworked.

The figure was likely once part of an architectural facade decoration. Jutting sculptures were an important part of the architectural design in monumental temples and palaces. They often represented mythological beings, divine forces, or legitimate rulers and served as visual manifestations of political power and sacred authority. Inscriptions, in addition to being decorative, also sent various messages to the observer.

Modeled stucco is one of the great art forms developed in pre-Columbian times. Entire cities were covered with stucco. Architectural sculpture such as figure heads, free-standing sculpture, wall coatings, floors, all were made with stucco. The stucco was made from “sahcab” (a type of limestone sand), lime, and water, components that, when combined, produced a material with a flexibility and hardness comparable to gesso.

Various colours complemented the decoration, especially red, which in Maya cosmology was considered a sacred color, as it symbolized the direction from which the sun is reborn each day (National Museum of the American Indian).

Notices

This object is subject to the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Export documents are required for export (subjected to a fee).