The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 19, 2024

Deity Plaque

Deity Plaque

c. 300–600 CE
jade
Overall: 9 x 7.4 cm (3 9/16 x 2 15/16 in.)
The Norweb Collection 1951.159
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

In ancient Mesoamerica, jade was more valuable than gold.

Description

Depicted as an elderly man with a conch shell on his back, this plaque probably portrays God N, the deity who supports the sky.
  • ?-1951
    Raymond Henry Norweb [1894-1983] and Emery May Holden Norweb [1895-1984], Cleveland OH, 1951, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1951
    The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Baltimore Museum of Art, and Roland Joseph McKinney. The Art of the Maya; November 15th to December 15th, 1937. Baltimore. Mus. Of Art. Catalogues. 1931-1946. 1937. Cat. no. 13
    Maurer, Evan, and Molly Hennen. Symboles sacrés: quatre mille ans d'art des Amériques. Paris: Réunion des musées nationaux, 2002. Cat. No. 77, p. 107
  • Sacred Symbols: Three Thousand Years of Native American Art [FRAME]. Musée Fabre, Montpellier, France (July 16-September 29, 2002); Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, Rouen, France (October 24, 2002-January 13, 2003); Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, 69001 Lyon, France (February 19-April 29, 2003); Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes, Rennes, France (May 27-August 18, 2003); Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN (organizer) (October 26, 2003-January 11, 2004).
    Montpellier, France: Musee Fabre; July 16- September 29, 2002. Rouen, France: Musee des Beaux- Arts; October 24, 2002- January 13, 2003. Lyon, France: Musee des Beaux-Arts: February 19- April 28, 2003. Rennes, France: Musee des Beaux-Arts; May 27- August 18, 2003. Minneapolis, MN: Mineeapolis Institute of Arts; October 26, 2003-January 11, 2004. FRAME exhibition- "Sacred Symbols: Three Thousand Years of Native American Art."
    Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Museum; Nov.15- Dec. 15, 1937. "Art of the Maya." Cat. no. 13, repr. no.13.Listed in catalogue as lent by the Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York.
  • {{cite web|title=Deity Plaque|url=false|author=|year=c. 300–600 CE|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1951.159