GARDE

GARDE

*Mask representing a human face. The face has stylized features. The open mouth is signified by a wide horizontal cut left untouched. The nose is straight and prominent, and its wings are in relief. The almond-shaped eyes are barely hollowed out, while the eyelids are slightly raised, intensifying the strength of the gaze. The superciliary arches are slightly marked; they join the root of the nose and merge with the high, broad forehead. The rectilinear ears are prominent. Spotted green diorite Chontal - Guerrero - Mexico, 350 - 100 B.C. 10.1 x 8.3 x 4.8 cm The Chontal culture, dating from 350 to 100 BC, is, along with the Mezcala culture, one of the most representative artistic traditions of the state of Guerrero in southwestern Mexico. Its stone sculptures mainly depict human heads or cult masks worn during religious ceremonies, or highly stylized human figures. It is distinguished from its neighbor Mezcala by a more naturalistic style, visible in the facial features and recurring curved lines. The Chontal civilization remains little-known and mysterious, but its stone sculptures fascinate contemporary artists and collectors with their sobriety and quest for essentiality. Provenance : - Former Yvon Collet collection, 1969 - Galerie Mermoz, 2014