Artwork
Standing Figure
DepartmentLatin American Art
CultureMezcala
Dateca. 400-100 B.C.
Dimensionsh. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm)
w. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
d. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
w. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
d. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
Credit LineSan Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. A. A. Seeligson, Sr.
Object number77.1123.49
GeographyPlace madeGuerrero, Mexico
General regionNorth and Central America
DescriptionStanding stone figurine with crossed arms and pronounced brow ridge, some red coloring.
The Mezcala style is characterized by a manifest simplicity of design and detail. The subject is skillfully rendered with straight cuts and planes and forms that tend to be geometric. Facial features and separation of the limbs are achieved by cutting and abrading. It is also possible that the Mezcala tradition may have been influential in developing the Teotihuacan.
It is character of later works in this style that the head is slightly rounded and that there are ear flanges. The eyebrows are represented as a heavy ridge and the nose is defined by diagonal cuts running down the sides of the face. The mouth is revealed by a simple horizontal cut. The arms are cut and generally in a folded position, while a single vertical cut forms straight legs.Label TextStone figures from the Rio Balsas region are plentiful and varied. Among the most frequently found are those which are known as Mezcala Style, named for the village near their source. Mezcala Style figures date back to the late pre-classic period, and many show Olmec influences. Others have been found in a more recent Aztec context, namely in offerings to Tlaloc in the Templo Major of Tenochtitlan. Forms range from naturalistic human styles to highly abstract types, and such variations are demonstrated here. (Marion Oettinger, 1998)Not on view
Collections
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
