Professional Documents
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R E V I V A L
J u n e 2 0 - S e p t e m b e r 1 6 , 2 0 0 8
G A L L E R Y G U I D E
AZTEC AND M AYA
R E V I V A L
Mexic-Arte Museum gratefully acknowledges the generous loans of artifacts and
objects from The University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts Department, The
Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, the Harry Ransom Center, and pri-
vate collectors including the overwhelming support of Lance and Erika Aaron, Susan
This exhibition was made possible by the generous support of the Austin Arts Com-
mission under the auspices of the City of Austin, The University of Texas at Austin
College of Fine Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Memnosyne Founda-
tion. Mexic-Arte Museum would like to recognize and especially acknowledge the
work of Claudia Zapata, M.A. Art History Candidate and Research Assistant spon-
sored by the College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. Claudia’s re-
search and curatorial assistance provided essential academic information for the
formation of the exhibition. Mexic-Arte Museum is grateful for support from its
dedicated Board of Directors and talented staff for production and presentation of
the exhibition including Jesus Alaniz III, New Media Designer; Angela Hicks, Store
Orozco, Executive Director; Angel Quesada, Production Manager; Lacey Richter, Edu-
President Díaz commissioned artists to travel to World’s Fairs - the cultural and
international gatherings in which countries would represent their customs, in-
dustries, and art. It was at the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris that Díaz debuted an
intricately-designed piano featuring Zapotec glyphs and style that won a gold-
medal prize, as seen in the gallery. It was not so much the intent of President
Díaz to positively represent the indigenous people of Mexico, as they were
still considered inferior by the elites, but to use them as a way to highlight the
grandeur of Mexico and its cultural roots. This led to the use of indigenous im-
agery and iconography in the 20th century.
H O W TO U S E T H I S G A L L E RY GUIDE
The pur p ose of this G aller y G uide is to share our k nowledge of a few
signific ant images. M uch of the ar t from pre-Columbian times, includ-
ing that of the A ztecs (M exic as), M aya, and other indigenous groups,
was compr ised of symb ols and designs that or iginated from complex
asp ec ts of culture lik e customs, traditions, r ituals, and language. Even
though they may app ear decorative at first glance, the symb ols asso ci -
ated with these indigenous groups represent more than patter ns - they
represent a way of life. Such images have b een revived in mo der n times
for use in the fine and decorative ar ts.
A Z T E C S A N D M AYA
O L D G O D O F FIRE
(Pronounced way-way-te-o-tl)
T H E P R I M A RY
Cocijo Effigy vessel, Ceramic, c. A.D. 400 - 800, Zapotec, Prov-
S TA N D A R D S EQUENCE
enance unknown,, H. 19 cm, from The University of Texas at
P O S TC L A S S I C
Aztec To t o n a c Mixtec
Late
Te n o c h t i t l á n Huastec
To l t e c
Ea r ly
Tula Chichén Itzá
900
Classic Zapotec Classic
Late
CLASSIC
Veracruz Mitla Maya
Xochicalco
Te o t i h u a c á n E l Ta j i n Monte Albán Tikal
Ea r ly
Colima
Nayarit
200
A.D.
PRECLASSIC
Izapa
Late
B.C.
Ear ly
Tlatilco Olmec
San Lorenzo
1500
SYMBOLS
M any pre- Co l u m b i a n d e s i g n s i n c l u d e s h a p e s a n d p atter ns found in nature that
resemble f l owe r s, s e e d s, m a i ze, b i rd s, a n i m a l s, a n d human for ms. Customar ily,
designs of te n d e p i c t s i g n i f i c a nt g o d s a n d d e i t i e s t h at to ok on multiple app ear -
ances. One c a n i d e nt i f y t h e s e d e i t i e s w i t h i n t h e d e corative and utilitar ian ar ts,
pre-Colum b i a n a n d R ev iva l s t y l e, a s t h ey a p p e a r i n t he exhibition. Var ious go ds
and mytho l o g i c a l s to r i e s, a l o n g w i t h re p re s e nt at i onal drawings and images
found in th e g a l l e r y, re fl e c t l e g e n d s a n d h i s to r i c a l accounts that offer insight
into the r ic h c u l t u re o f M ex i co.
Pre - Co l u m b i a n
(without base) 48 cm, from the Lance and Erika
with Serpent), Bronze with wood base, 1961, H.
Ima g e : Ea g l e a n d
S er p e nt
Aaron Collection
R ev i va l St y l e
I m a g e : Ea g l e a n d
S e r p e nt
CUAUH T É M O C Pre-Columbian Image: Eagle
Mexico, H. 111 cm W. 52 cm
Jorge Enciso, Design Motifs
of Logan Wagner
phalt paint. Their pur p ose is still dis -
puted to day. I t is thought by some that
their faces p or tray a hallucino genic
state of spir itual r itual. O thers think Pre - Co l u m b i a n I m a g e :
S o n r i e nte ( s m i l i n g f a ce )
that they are simply asso ciated with
festiv it y and joy. The immense numb er
of them discovered implies that they
had in imp or tant place in pre-Colum -
bian culture.
The smiling war r ior face is also seen in Detail from Zapotec Piano, Wood, 1899, from
Ima g e : Co c i j o
Cocijo Effigy Vessel, Ceramic,
Aaron Collection
R ev i va l St y l e
Collection
Image: Tlaloc
Pre-Co l u m b i a n
guirre (Mexican, 1867-1941), Un-
Imag e : Coyo l x a u h q u i
Erika Aaron Collection
R ev i va l St y l e I m a g e :
Coyo l x a u h q u i
SELLO S
S ellos (seals or stamps) were predominately made of clay, though a few
have b een identified that are c ar ved from stone, b one, and even cop -
p er. These small stamps c ame in a var iet y of shap es: flat, c ylindr ic al, and
rounded lik e a rolling pin. Unidentifiable in exac t use, most researchers
think the stamps were used as a decorative to ol for the b o dy, as well as
on bar k pap er, cloth, and p otter y. S ome, including the ar tist and record -
er of pre-Columbian stamps, J orge Enciso *, b elieve that they may have
b een used in the stamping of delic ac y fo o ds for the go ds. R esearchers
agree fur ther study is necessar y to b etter understand the stamps and
their signific ance.
*D id You K now :
J orge Enciso, an ar tist from Mexico, do cumented many of the seals during
the earl y t wentieth centur y re vival p erio d by dra wing and printing them
onto pap er. His b o ok, D esign M otifs of Ancient M exico , which categorizes
the stamps into flowers, animals, and geometrical patterns, can b e found
inside the plexi-case within the galler y. S ee if you can find some examples
of the geometrical shap es, like those of the stamps, on the p otter y.
MAYA N N U M B E R S A N D T H E G O LDEN R ATIO
The M aya c i v i l i z at i o n h ad a dva n ce d m at h e m at i c a l k nowledge, which led to
many acco m p l i s h m e nt s t h at i n c l u d e, b u t a re n o t l i m ited to, the building of
their ancie nt c i t i e s, t h e e m p l oy m e nt o f t h o u s a n d s o f construc tion wor k ers,
commerce ove r a va s t g e o g ra p h i c a l a re a , c a l c u l at i n g an accurate c alendar,
and using g e o m e t r y to c re ate a rc h i te c t u re a n d i n ar t. Unfor tunately, the
Spanish de s t roye d m a ny M aya n a r t i f a c t s t h at wo u l d have help ed us b etter
understand h ow t h ey ma n a g e d s u c h g re at a c co m p l ishments. H owever, we
c an still d raw k n ow l e d g e f ro m a fe w s u r v i v i n g M ayan b o oks such as the
Pop ol Vuh a n d t h e B o o k o f t h e Ch i l a m B a l a m o f Ch u mayel. We c an also lear n
ab out the t ra d i t i o n s o f t h e m i l l i o n s o f M aya w h o a re still alive to day.
M ate ri a l s Yo u Wi l l Need:
- a cord or string (you may use yarn as well)
- a pencil
- a large sheet of paper or poster board (24” x 24”)
- scissors
- a straight-edge
DIRECTIONS:
Use the step-by-step diagrams as a visual guide to help
you along the way.
1. Use the tip of your pinky, which is roughly equivalent to
an inch, to measure your string (remember the Mayas did
not have specialty measuring tape).
2. Taking the tip of your pinky, start from one end of the
string, counting 20 units to the other end. Cut your string
here. It should be roughly 20 inches.
3. Double your string over, making two equal parts, but do
not cut.
4. Your string should now measure about 10”. Using this
measurement, create a square on your paper, marking the
four corners of the square and connecting them with your
pencil. Use a straight edge to sketch the connecting lines.
5. Next, find the midpoint of the bottom square side. You
may do this by simply doubling over your 10” string once
again to make 5”. Hold the 5” cord from one end of the bot-
tom side of the square to the middle and mark this point
(Point M).
6. Now, unfolding your cord completely, hold one end of
the string at Point M, pulling it taut to the top right corner
point (Point P1) of the square. Put your pencil at that corner
and wrap the string around it.
7. Holding the string with your index finger at Point M,
swing the remainder of the cord down and to the right,
marking the curve with your pencil until it is outside of the
bottom right corner of the square. Use your straight edge
to extend the line from the bottom of the square to the
curve.
8. Using your straight edge, extend the lines from the top
of the square to the right, and from the point that you
made in step 7 upward until the lines meet. You have now
completed a Golden Rectangle!
The Official Me xican
and Me xican A merican
Fine Art M useum of Te xa s
P.O. B ox 2273
Austin, T X 78768
512.480.9373
www.mexic-ar temuseum.org
Allstate Foundation
The University of Texas
at Austin Eloise and John Wine and Food
College of Fine Arts
Paul DeJoria Foundation of Texas