COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
MMA_.1978.412.198
amicoid
MMA_.1978.412.198
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
2002
aly
2002
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Costume and Jewelry
oty
Costume and Jewelry
Object Type
false
Description:
There was no tradition of portraiture at the great central Mexico city of Teotihuacan, but masks depicting the human face are abundant in the style associated with the site. With its geometrically rendered horizontal brow, triangular nose, and oval mouth and eyes, this mask depicts the idealized facial type that seems to function as a symbol, similar to other standardized motifs present in the art of Teotihuacan. The depressions of the eyes and the mouth suggest that this mask, like many of its counterparts, might have originally possessed inlaid shell or stone for the depiction of eyes and teeth. Although the mask is carved out of onyx marble, a precious stone, in its original state it may have been painted like other masks of this type. Perforations at the sides suggest that it was intended to be attached to another object, but given the weight of the stone and the lack of holes for the eyes and mouth, these masks were probably not worn by living people. Instead, they may have been attached to sculptures of human figures or mounted on mummy or deity bundles.
opd
There was no tradition of portraiture at the great central Mexico city of Teotihuacan, but masks depicting the human face are abundant in the style associated with the site. With its geometrically rendered horizontal brow, triangular nose, and oval mouth and eyes, this mask depicts the idealized facial type that seems to function as a symbol, similar to other standardized motifs present in the art of Teotihuacan. The depressions of the eyes and the mouth suggest that this mask, like many of its counterparts, might have originally possessed inlaid shell or stone for the depiction of eyes and teeth. Although the mask is carved out of onyx marble, a precious stone, in its original state it may have been painted like other masks of this type. Perforations at the sides suggest that it was intended to be attached to another object, but given the weight of the stone and the lack of holes for the eyes and mouth, these masks were probably not worn by living people. Instead, they may have been attached to sculptures of human figures or mounted on mummy or deity bundles.
Description
false
Creator Nationality:
North American; Central American; Mesoamerican; Teotihuacán
crc
North American; Central American; Mesoamerican; Teotihuacán
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Teotihuacan
crt
Teotihuacan
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Mask
otn
Mask
Title
false
View:
Principal view
rid
Principal view
View
false
Creation Date:
3rd?7th century
oct
3rd?7th century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
200
ocs
200
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
699
oce
699
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Onyx marble
omd
Onyx marble
Materials and Techniques
false
Creation Place:
Mexico
ocp
Mexico
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
H. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
met
H. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
oon
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
New York, New York
oop
New York, New York
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1978.412.198
ooa
1978.412.198
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Purchase, Nelson A. Rockefeller Gift, 1969
ooc
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Purchase, Nelson A. Rockefeller Gift, 1969
Credit Line
false
Copyright:
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
ors
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
Copyright
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp"target="_new">http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp</a>
Rights
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
MMA_.h1_1978.412.198.tif
ril
MMA_.h1_1978.412.198.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false