Mexican Art
Diego
Rivera - Diego Rivera's
legacy to modern mexican art was decisive in murals and
canvas; he was a revolutionary painter looking to take art to the
big public, to streets and buildings, managing a precise, direct,
and realist style, full of social content 
Click on the images below to buy or find other artworks.
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Olmec Colossal Head - La Venta, Mexico. 1000B.C. - The Olmec flourished as the first major civilization of Mesoamerica between 1500 and 600 bc and were the first in the region to use stone for sculpture and architecture. Among other monolithic works, the Olmec carved three-dimensional stone heads, ranging in height from 2 to 3 meters (6 to 10 ft), and some sources estimate that the largest weighs as much as 40 tons, although most reports place the larger heads at 20 tons. They were made out of basalt boulders quarried in distant mountains. Archaeologists believe the heads, all of which have similar facial features and wear helmets, are portraits of Olmec rulers. |
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Feathered Serpent Head of Quetzalcoaltl - Pyramid of Quetzalcoaltl, Teotihuacan, Mexico, 300 AD - One of the great Gods of Ancient Mesoamerica, Quetzalcoatl is a synthesis of serpent and bird. The name means “quetzal serpent”. The quetzal was a sacred bird of very beautiful feathers which were used in elite and ritual costumes. Quetzalcoatl, the patron of rulership, had several incarnations, the most important were as a creator god, as Ehecatl, the God of Wind; as the Morning Star; and asTopiltzin, a semi-human ruler, unique among the Gods. |
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Aztec Solar Calendar - Antrop Museum, Mexico City, 1500AD
- The solar calendar, also known as "xiuhpohualli" for
counting of the years, was kept on a 365-day solar count. This was also
the agricultural and ceremonial calendar of the Aztec state. It was divided
into 18 periods, with each period containing 20 days, called veintenas. This
left five days that were not represented. These were called "nemontemi."
These were the five transition days between the old and the new year, and were
considered days of nothing. This was a time of festivals. People came to the
festivals with their best clothes on, and took part in singing and dancing.
This is also when the priest would perform sacrifices, most of these
sacrifices were human, but others were preformed on animals and fruit. Get The Aztec Solar Calendar |
