Votive Figural Sculpture, or "Axe"

Public Domain

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Images(3)

Artist Unknown Central and South American

CultureOlmec

Titles

Votive Figural Sculpture, or "Axe"

Datec. 1000–500 BC

MediumGreenstone

Dimensions9 5/8 × 4 5/16 × 1 3/8 in. (24.5 × 11 × 3.5 cm)

Credit LineGift of Samuel Merrin in memory of Frances Marzio

Object number2023.232

Current Location

The Caroline Wiess Law Building

205M Wiess Gallery

On view

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Department

Art of the Indigenous Americas

Object Type

STONE CARVING, SHELL & IVORY

ProvenanceHermann Beyer (1880–1942), Louisiana, before 1927 [1] [2]; Private collection, by 1927 [1] [2]; P. Possenbacher, Monte Carlo, by 1966 [3]; [Edward H. Merrin, Veracruzana, New York, by 1969] [3]; Curtis Katz, Great Neck, New York, 1969–2018 [3]; by descent to heirs, 2018; Samuel Merrin, New York, 2018–2023; given to MFAH, 2023.

[1] Hermann Beyer, "Nota bibliográfica sobre 'Tribes and Temples' de F. Blom y O. Farge," El México Antiguo 2, no. 11-12 (1927): 305-313, fig. 1.

[2] Marshall H. Saville, "Votive Axes from Ancient Mexico," Indian Notes 6, no. 2 (Apr. 1929): 278-280, fig. 91.

[3] Veracruzana Invoice dated September 23, 1969.
Exhibition HistoryN/A
Published References Beyer, Hermann. "Nota bibliografica sobre 'Tribes and Temples' de F. Blom y O. la Farge." El Mexico Antiguo 2, 11-12 (1927): 305-313, fig. 1. Saville, Marshall H. "Votive Axes from Mexico." Indian Notes 6 (1929): 335-42, fig. 91. Paalen, Wolfgang. "Le plus ancien visage du Nouveau Monde." Cahiers d'art 27, n. 2 (1952): 170-88. Joralemon, Peter David. A Study of Olmec Iconography. Studies in Pre-Columbian Art and Archaeology 7. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks, 1971. fig. 166. Clark, John E. "Teogonia olmeca: perspectives, problemas y propuestas." In Olmeca: Balance y perspectivas, Memoria de la Primera Mesa Redonda, V. 1. Edited by Maria Teresa Uriarte and Rebecca B. González. México, D.F. : Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, Dirección General de Publicaciones y Fomento Editorial : Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia : Fundación Arqueológica del Nuevo Mundo, Universidad Brigham Young, 2008. 145-183. Coe, Michael D. 2012 The Olmec Notebooks of Miguel Covarrubias. Mesoweb Publications. Electronic document, http://www.mesoweb.com/olmec/publications/Covarrubias.pdf. Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

[none]

Catalogue raisonnéN/A

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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