** A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this artwork will be donated to the Anthony Quinn Foundation, whose mission is to advocate for the important role arts education plays in personal development and in the overall improvement of social, economic and cultural systems. Learn more at aqfoundation.org **

Pre-Columbian, Valley of Mexico, Aztec Empire, ca. 1300 to 1521 CE. A beautiful and rare example of a large maskette that is hand-carved from mottled forest green omphacite jade with silvery gray, beige, mint, and pistachio inclusions. Bearing recognizable characteristics from earlier Teotihuacan-era masks, the rectangular vizard bears a pair of heavy-lidded eyes beneath sweeping brows, a veristic nose with gently flared nostrils, a thin upper lip above a thick lower lip, drilled cavities within the mouth next to shallow nasolabial folds, and fleshy cheeks, all framed by a pair of tall, tab-shaped ears with perforated lobes. The slightly convex forehead hangs heavily over the countenance, and the verso bears a pair of biconically drilled suspension holes on the sides of the brow. Sightless masks like this example were perhaps not intended for wearing by the living but rather as funerary ornamentation for the dead. Size: 6.9" W x 4.6" H (17.5 cm x 11.7 cm); 9.375" H (23.8 cm) on included custom stand.

The Spaniards wrote of the Aztecs believing that stone quarried to be carved had magical properties and was alive, able to speak and prophecy. Aztec stone sculpture is a culmination of centuries of stone carving in Mesoamerica, and, using fragile volcanic stone and sturdy greenstone, they were able to create remarkably detailed artworks. The Aztec were heavily influenced by Teotihuacan culture, and much of their art is inspired by these predecessors. Indeed, the Aztec excavated the Teotihuacan city and reused and embellished many of the objects they discovered. The Aztecs regarded the city of Teotihuacan as a mythical site where the gods once assemble.

Provenance: ex-private collection of actor Anthony Quinn and his wife Katherine, Bristol, Rhode Island, USA acquired prior to 2000

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#169254

Minor abrasions to face, peripheries, and verso, with a couple of longer marks along forehead and chin, otherwise intact and excellent. Great surface smoothness, preservation to facial details, and stone color throughout. Old inventory label on verso.