A WOOD CONQUEST MASK OF SAN PEDRO, GUATEMALA, 18TH-19TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A WOOD CONQUEST MASK OF SAN PEDRO, GUATEMALA, 18TH-19TH CENTURY This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005: “No. 479, Lago Atitlan 1981, Guatemala wood mask of San Pedro of Atitlan” Gallery price: EUR 1,550 or approx. EUR 2,600 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing. Well carved, depicting the face of San Pedro with an elongated face, prominent, straight nose, hollowed almond-shaped eyes, and a slightly smiling, open mouth. Incised lines mark the hair. The forehead bears two small perforations. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 20.5 cm Masks occupy a central place in the ritual and performance traditions of Guatemala, where they are woven deeply into the histories of indigenous communities that blend ancient Mesoamerican cosmologies with introduced Christian iconography. Over centuries, these carved wooden faces have been used in ceremonial dances, religious processions, and theatrical reenactments that embody cultural memory, social identity, and spiritual expression. Among the iconic categories of Guatemalan masks are the so‑called conquest masks, which reflect a complex interplay of symbolic appropriation and cultural resilience following the Spanish conquest. The present wood mask of San Pedro can be appreciated within this long artistic and ritual lineage. In many indigenous traditions across Guatemala, masks like this serve not merely as decorative objects but as active participants in storytelling: they embody characters drawn from colonial history, biblical narrative, and pre‑Hispanic myth alike. In the aftermath of the Spanish conquest, Indigenous communities adapted their ceremonial repertoire to accommodate and reinterpret imposed religious frameworks. The result was a hybridized visual language in which Catholic saints, friars, and conquistadors appear alongside figures rooted in Maya and other Amerindian traditions. In this synthesis, conquest masks – so named because they often represent historical characters tied to the era of contact and colonization – became tools of both cultural negotiation and resistance. These masks were worn in dances that reenacted dramatic encounters, laboring to assert Indigenous presence even as the narratives shifted to include foreign influences. The mask of San Pedro is emblematic of this interplay. San Pedro, or Saint Peter, appears in many Mayan Highland and lowland festivities not simply as a Christian apostle, but as a figure integrated into local cosmologies and seasonal rites. San Pedro masks are typically used in processions and festal dances that blend liturgical devotion with community celebration, and they often reflect a localized understanding of saintly power and protection. Literature comparison: Compare a related wood mask depicting Quiche warrior Tecun Uman, 18 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number Am1981,06.16. Compare a related wood mask, 17.5 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number Am1981,06.90.

图片