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Collections

Tripod Vessel with Storm God Impersonator450–550 CE

Not on view
Ceramic tripod vessel with cream-slipped body painted with a large frontal mask face in rust red, mustard yellow, and dark brown, supported on three openwork rectangular legs
Ceramic tripod vessel with cylindrical body supported on three rectangular slab feet with cut-out geometric openings. The body is painted with a large frontal face featuring goggle eyes, prominent teeth, and feathered headdress in red, yellow, white, and black. Dark slipped rim above.
Title
Tripod Vessel with Storm God Impersonator
Culture
Teotihuacan
Place Made
Mexico, Basin of Mexico, Teotihuacan
Date Made
450–550 CE
Medium
Earthenware with postfire stucco and pigment
Dimensions
LE Inventory: 5 5/8 × 5 7/8 in. (14.29 × 14.92 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Constance McCormick Fearing
Accession Number
AC1993.217.16
Classification
Ceramics
Collecting Area
Art of the Ancient Americas
Curatorial Notes

The goggle eyes and fanged mouth of the figure on this vessel are characteristics of the powerful Central Mexican deity associated with storms, rain, and lightning.

2008

Selected Bibliography
  • Fields, Virginia M. and Dorie Reents-Budet. Lords of Creation: The Origins of Sacred Maya Kingship. London: Scala Publishers Limited; LACMA, 2005.
  • Mandell, Elisa C. "A New Analysis of the Gender Attribution of the "Great Goddess" of Teotihuacan." Ancient Mesoamerica 26, no.1 (2015): 29-49.

  • Robb, Matthew H., editor. Teotihuacan: City of Water, City of Fire. San Francisco: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, 2017.

  • Dorfman, John. "Where the Gods Were Born." Art & Antiques 41, no.5 (2018): 46-50
  • Conides, Cynthia. Made to Order: Painted Ceramics of Ancient Teotihuacan. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2018.
Selected Exhibition History
  • The Painted City: Art from Teotihuacan. Saturday, March 29 - Sunday, December 7, 2014

Related Exhibitions