Pre-Columbian, Guerrero, Mexico, Mezcala culture, ca. 400 - 100 BCE. The Mezcala artisans emphasized geometric abstraction in their stylized sculptural representations of figures and architectural forms such as this temple. Experts at string cut technology, these artists employed lines and differences in textures to model their forms. Carved from a fine grey stone, standing on a tall stepped platform, with a central stairway leading to a figure centrally positioned between four columns. 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). A similar piece, although it did not include a central figure like this example, sold for $9200 in Christies Sale 5329 (December 3, 2005). 5-3/4"T x 4-1/4"W

Provenance: Ex-Adeon Gallery, Chicago, IL; acquired prior to 1970

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