Cultures of Mexico - TOTONAQUE - Lot 13

Cultures of Mexico - TOTONAQUE Face of the rain god Chac. Terracotta Height 16 cm Totonaque culture, ca. 450-750 A.D. State of Veracruz, Mexico. Broken, glued and missing, otherwise well preserved. Provenance : Philippe Ancart Antiquaire, Brussels Private collection, Geneva (acquired from Philippe Ancart Antiquaire in 1982, with invoice in the archives). Private collection, Vaduz (acquired in 2006) The rain god Chac (also known as Tlaloc to the Aztecs) is depicted here in the classical manner, with wide-open eyes featuring circles that give the impression of spectacles. The mouth is open, revealing fangs. He is one of the most important gods in Mesoamerican mythology, as much as he is called upon to bring rain to fertilize the soil, he is also feared for the destructive power of flooding rivers and storms. As this is a temporary import lot (from outside the EU), an import VAT of 5.5% must be added to the auction price before it is released for consumption in France.