Chontal Stone Mask (300-100 BC)

Hailing from the same geographic region as the Mezcala, one can see the emphasis on geometric abstraction, but there is an added naturalistic grace to the Chontal pieces. This lovely mask sings with the beauty of this ancient people.

Even though this lapidary tradition is placed in the Preclassic period, ca. 300-100 B. C., it is clear that these portable stone figures were preserved by later Mesoamerican peoples as heirlooms. In fact, large numbers have been in excavated in ritual caches at the Templo Mayor, the main temple of the fifteenth-century Aztecs (Mexica) of Tenochititlan (Mexico City).

In the 20th century, these minimalistic Mezcala and Chontal art works attracted such artists as Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and Miguel Covarrubias, the latter, comparing them to the serene and monumental Cycladic style of ancient Greece.

- Chontal Culture
- 300-100 BC
- Guerrero, Mexico
- 4 1/2 in. x 3 3/4 in.
- From a Private New York Collection

Each item will be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

No known fissures, or repairs.