Artwork Page for Head from a Building's Façade

Details / Information for Head from a Building's Façade

Head from a Building's Façade

250–900 CE

Mexico, Campeche, Maya style

(250-900)
Medium
stucco, paint
Measurements
Overall: 33.2 x 17.5 x 29.7 cm (13 1/16 x 6 7/8 x 11 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener 1990.183
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

Maya elites practiced cranial modification on infants to achieve the sloped profile seen in this tenoned head.

Description

The Maya often lavishly decorated the exteriors of buildings, transforming them into elaborate sculptural works in their own right. This sensitively modeled head, made from fragile stucco, would have been affixed to the façade of a palace or temple via the tenon (projection) at the back of the head. The rest of the body may have been modeled separately.
A reddish-brown stucco sculpture depicts a fragmented human head wearing a tall, pointed headdress with a thick, ridged band. The face features downcast eyes, a broad nose, and full, parted lips. Small circular holes mark the forehead and cheeks, while the ears are roughly shaped. The surface is weathered and pitted, with faded paint across the cheeks and hat, ending in a broken, jagged neck.

Head from a Building's Façade

250–900 CE

Mexico, Campeche, Maya style (250-900)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

    Update or Correct Artwork Information

    Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

    Report a Website Issue

    Further Questions About This Artwork