Lot 5

Impressive Guerrero Mezcala Stone Axe God

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Lot 5
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Impressive Guerrero Mezcala Stone Axe God
Impressive Guerrero Mezcala Stone Axe God
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Impressive Guerrero Mezcala Stone Axe God

Estimate: $4,500 - $6,750

Starting Bid: $1,800

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
July 14, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Pre-Columbian, Mexico, Guerrero, Mezcala culture, ca. 500 to 200 BCE. An impressively sizeable, hand-carved and string-cut, deep grey-green stone (probably andesite) depicting a standing anthropomorphic axe god figure, the human physiognomy displaying appealing stylization. The ancient artisans of this region were particular adept at reducing the human body to simple, eloquent forms via a string cut technique. Note the dramatically tapered head, cut separation between the legs, and abstract facial features that ironically appeal to a modernist taste for minimalism. Size: 3.5" W x 10.5" H (8.9 cm x 26.7 cm); 10.75" H (27.3 cm) on included custom stand.

The form of this figure fits somewhere between and M-8 type -with its broader, flatter face, sloping cheek planes that meet in the central vertical ridge which suggests a nose, and the flatter temporal region- and an M-10 type, which according to expert Carlo Gay showed significant changes advancing them over the previous four types. For instance, note how the flat plane across the lower section of the face is an uninterrupted area as opposed to the narrow, slit mouth of earlier figures. According to Gay, "At its best, the M-10 type epitomizes Mezcala sculpture, representing an optimal solution to carving a viable portrayal of the human figure in an intractable material and with simple tools." (Carlo Gay, Mezcala Ancient Stone Sculpture from Guerrero Mexico. New York: Balsas Publications, 1992 p. 51). For a similar example, see plate 33 on p. 51 of Gay's text.

Provenance: private Stillwater, Minnesota, USA collection, purchased in November 2020; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private Hawaii, USA collection; ex Ketteler Collection, Germany

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Item # 179253

  • Condition: Fair. Expected surface wear with old chips/abrasions to head and other high pointed areas as shown. Earthen deposits grace the surface as well.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000