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Vase showing the twin heroes of the Popol Vuh
Polychrome ter…
See original version (French)
44
-
Vase showing the twin heroes of the Popol Vuh
Polychrome ter…
See original version (French)
Estimate €7,000 - €9,000
Voluntary lot
Description
Vase showing the twin heroes of the Popol Vuh
Polychrome terracotta with painted decoration in orange, beige, black and white, glyph band on upper part, surface wear and old restoration perforations
Maya, Late Classic, c. AD 550 - 950
18.5 x 14 cm
Provenance :
Former private collection, Orlando, Florida.
Acquired from Christie's, 12 June 2003, sale 5057, Africa, Oceanic & Pre-Columbian Art, lot 611.
Former Art of Eternity collection.
Joerg Buhlmann Collection.
This painted vase shows two young dignitaries or mythological figures seated cross-legged, leaning forward and holding large offering trays. Their headdresses feature the head of the Cauac monster, identifiable by its elongated snout and feathery elements. The upper register is decorated with a band of repeated glyphs framing the scene.
The iconography has been likened to the twin heroes of Popol Vuh, the founding story of Mayan tradition recounting the adventures of two young heroes associated with cosmic cycles, ritual trials and rebirth. The symmetrical attitudes of the figures, their offerings and their ceremonial posture evoke a moment of presentation or ritual preparation in a courtly context.
The Cauac monster, associated with storms, sacred mountains and the forces of the subterranean world, frequently appears in classical Maya art as an entity linked to transformations and the passage between worlds. The finesse of the brushwork, the balance of the composition and the intensity of the orange tones give this vase a particularly remarkable pictorial quality.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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