Carved Stone Vessel

Description

This stone vessel, made by eastern neighbors of the Maya, is one of the finest and largest of its kind. On the exterior are several motifs that combine to create an unusually complex design that features a grotesque head, either in profile or front-facing, with a leg near its mouth. In the main panel a frontal version of the head hovers over two legs, the knees pointed sharply outward. Beside each leg is a lively human, rarely seen in such works. Little is known about the motifs’ meanings or the vessel’s use.

Provenance

Emile Deletaille Antiquaire, Brussels Belgium, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art (-1990); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1990-)

Carved Stone Vessel

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700–1000

Accession Number

1990.9

Medium

marble

Dimensions

Overall: 27 x 30.3 x 17.4 cm (10 5/8 x 11 15/16 x 6 7/8 in.)

Classification

Sculpture

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund