Pre-Columbian, Guerrero, Mexico, Mezcala culture, ca. 400 to 100 BCE. The Mezcala artisans emphasized geometric abstraction in their stylized sculptural representations of figures and architectural forms, such as this skillfully carved and string cut temple. Carved from a fine grey stone, standing on a stepped platform, with a central stairway leading to two columns beneath a triangular pediment. Mezcala sculptural houses or temples began to intrigue collectors after the infamous ethnologist and art historian Miguel Covarrubias published a seminal paper on the subject. Featured in exhibitions in New York and Mexico City in the 1960s, scholars began to wax poetic about such elegant architectural models. For instance, according to Carlo Gay, these works are "located at the junction of stillness and motion, time and eternity." (Carlo Gay, Mezcala Architecture in Miniature, 1987: 7). Size: 1.875" W x 2.25" H (4.8 cm x 5.7 cm); 2.375" H (6 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Stagecoach, Nevada, USA collection

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#128800

A few tiny nicks and normal surface wear with earth deposits.