159 - A FINE SERPENTINE MASK, TEOTIHUACAN CULTURE, CLASSIC PERIOD, CIRCA 450–650 AD

A FINE SERPENTINE MASK, TEOTIHUACAN CULTURE, CLASSIC PERIOD, CIRCA 450–650 AD Mexico. Finely carved and polished to create the highly idealized and almost architectonic facial form characteristic of Teotihuacan masks. The broad forehead gently curves across the top, tapering toward the rounded trapezoidal chin. The face is sensitively modeled with prominent arched brows framing deeply recessed, almond-shaped eyes, a long straight nose with subtly flared nostrils, and a slightly open mouth with full, carefully delineated lips. The elongated rectangular ears are pierced through the lobes, with additional apertures at either side of the mask for attachment or suspension. The restrained geometry of the face is softened by the subtle modeling of the cheeks and mouth, creating the serene and timeless expression characteristic of Teotihuacan stone masks. The finely polished serpentine is of a pale spinach-green tone, attractively mottled with beige and light brown inclusions and natural veining. Provenance: Collection of Harald J. Wagner, San Francisco, USA, 1960s, and thence by descent. Martin Doustar, Brussels, Belgium. Harald J. Wagner (1903-1976) was a San Francisco-based architect, art patron, and collector. After studying architecture at the University of Oregon and moving to San Francisco in 1927, Wagner developed an extensive interest in art and began collecting works from around the world. His repeated travels to Mexico from the 1950s onward led to a particular fascination with its pre-Columbian cultures, and he eventually acquired a house there, where he lived part of the year. His extraordinary collection included more than seventy fragments of painted Teotihuacan murals, acquired in Mexico during the 1960s, and was bequeathed to the De Young Museum in San Francisco after his death before being returned to Mexico. Martin Doustar is a Brussels-based art dealer and collector whose career spans more than two decades. He began his professional journey in the early 2000s with a focus on Modern Art, developing a keen interest in the ways early twentieth-century artists were influenced by ‘primitive’ art from Africa and Oceania. Over time, his connoisseurship expanded into archaeological and ethnographic fields, with particular expertise in the ancient arts of the Pacific, Africa, and pre-Columbian America, while also encompassing Asian material culture and modern masterpieces. He is the author of numerous scholarly catalogs and has organized thematic exhibitions on a wide range of subjects. Condition: Good condition with expected ancient wear, signs of weathering and erosion, the bridge of the nose reattached with minor touchups and tiny losses. Weight: 2 kg (excl. stand), 2.8 kg (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 14 cm (excl. stand), 21.2 cm (incl. stand) With a modern stand. (2) Expert’s note Despite their conventional designation as “masks,” Teotihuacan stone masks were almost certainly not intended to be worn. Instead, they probably formed the faces of elaborately clothed effigies, with the lateral perforations serving to attach the mask, headdress, and other accoutrements. Their recessed eyes and mouths may originally have been enriched with shell, pyrite, or other inlays, giving them a considerably more vivid appearance. Rather than serving a primarily funerary purpose, such effigies were likely activated through ritual and displayed or carried during ceremonial events, or venerated within sacred spaces. Their highly idealized features appear not to represent individuals, but rather an enduring sacred or supernatural identity. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related serpentine mask of a human, Teotihuacan, dated Early Classic, 0-600 AD, 21.5 cm tall, in the Dumbarton Oaks Museum, accession number PC.B.054. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 15 May 2009, lot 127 Price: USD 92,500 or approx. EUR 126,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A fine Teotihuacan greenstone mask, Classic, ca. A.D. 450-650 Expert remark: Compare the similar form and facial features, manner of carving, and color of the stone.