The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 20, 2025

Head with Animal Helmet

c. 600–1000

Mexico, Gulf Coast, San Andrés Tuxtla

(?)
earthenware, pigment
Overall: 39.1 x 23.4 x 16.5 cm (15 3/8 x 9 3/16 x 6 1/2 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener 1990.237
Location: Not on view

Description

The Gulf Coast of Mexico was an important center of ceramic sculpture production for more than 2,000 years. Nearly life-size hollow effigies, produced after about AD 600, are among the most spectacular works from this region. Although the faces were sometimes made with molds, this example appears to be hand-modeled. The mythical serpent helmet indicates that the figure may be a ritual performer.
  • ?-1958
    (Black Tulip Galleries, Inc., Dallas, TX, 1958, sold to James C. and Florence C. Gruener)
    1958-1990
    James C. [1903-1990] and Florence C. [1908-1982] Gruener, Cleveland, OH, bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1990
    The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Young-Sánchez, Margaret. "The Gruener Collection of Pre-Columbian Art." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 79, no. 7 (1992): 234-75. Reproduced and Mentioned: p. 253 www.jstor.org
  • The Gruener Collection of Pre-Columbian Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 4-November 29, 1992).
    Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art; February 4 - November 29, 1992. "The Gruener Collection of Pre-Columbian Art." The Bulletin of The Cleveland Museum of Art. 79 (September, 1992.) cat. no. 74, p. 271, repr. fig. 74, p. 253.
  • {{cite web|title=Head with Animal Helmet|url=false|author=|year=c. 600–1000|access-date=20 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1990.237