Performing in a school on Wednesday I used the face painted version of an Aztec Jaguar Warrior helmet mask to illustrate a folktale from the Kayapo people of the Amazon, so imagine my delight and surprise on Thursday to see that same image depicted in this mural by Diego Rivera in the current exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. The helmet mask idea has been a favorite vehicle of mine for dramatic face designs for a long time, especially when I want to get a “wow” reaction while painting an adult male at a party. It is a pretty universal mask concept: a mask depicting a powerful animal that fits over the full head so that the wearer’s face is visible through the open mouth of the animal, framed by the animal’s teeth—and you can just see the mouth of the Indian Warrior peaking through behind the teeth of the jaguar in Rivera’s mural. Aztec, Mayan, and Toltec sculptures and paintings portray warriors wearing such masks, sometimes depicting eagles, serpents, or coyotes rather than the jaguar. The text accompanying this mural states: “Jaguar knights, members of an elite Aztec military order, were known for their fighting prowess; according to legend, their terrifying costumes enabled them to possess the power of the animal in battle”, which is probably only a partial explanation for the use of jaguar helmet masks.
The symbolic use of animal imagery in traditional cultures often carries multiple layers of significance. The exhibition of Aztec art at the Guggenheim Museum a few years ago included many examples of this helmet mask concept, including the breathtaking, life-sized terra cotta sculpture of an eagle warrior from the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan (found under the streets of Mexico City).
In addition to the idea of accruing power by association with powerful totem animals, the exhibit described how the ascension to the rank of eagle or jaguar warrior meant the individual was imbued with the spirit of the animal—not just the physical animal, but, more importantly, the animal in its spirit-world state, or god-state. So, we see in the “Deified Eagle Warrior” sculpture how the human in the spirit world is completely enveloped by the eagle. I am reminded of the concept in Northwest Coast American Indian cultures and masks of the celestial eagle coming to earth in human form, kind of like an eagle/man superhero.
Which is not to negate the functionality of wearing something scary to scare your enemy in battle. The warrior’s interest in that is probably universal. Imagine what a warrior might have felt seeing this human/animal jaguar man rushing at him across a battlefield. In modern-day Aztec festivals, dancers will wear jaguar masks made from the heads or skulls of real jaguars—which may have been the same way the Jaguar Warriors made their masks in ancient times—so as I explain to school kids in demonstrations, wearing that mask is like saying “don’t mess with me, I’m the one who killed him”. Other modern Mexican mask traditions include paper mache or wooden masks recreating the Aztec helmet mask appearance or worn like helmets with the dancer’s face showing through the mouth as it opens and closes. Holidays and festivals in Mexico can include a blend of ancient and modern, including the Indios, dancers in traditional Indian costume, such as these two spooky-looking guys wearing animal skulls, horns, and bones in a 2007 procession through the streets of Guanajuato (where “la Vida no vale nada” according to the old song).
Diego Rivera mural, I’ve got to think that he put the Indian Warrior in that jaguar outfit in part to create an equivalency with the scary armor of the conquistador he has killed (“you may have armor, but we have jaguar-power”), and he is using a stone knife while the Spaniard’s steel blase lies broken underneath him. Now, if that conquistador had only been wearing the right armor, he might have done better.
Here are the Jaguar Helmet Masks Aztec Mexican Mural Art Inspired Hoodies
Aztec Jaguar Mask Maya Aztec Mexican Mural Art
The Jaguar is one of the most powerful and elegant animals in the world. The animal has been revered by many cultures, including the Aztec and Maya civilizations. They believed that a jaguar’s spirit could be reincarnated into a person after death, which was why they wore masks resembling these animals to commune with them during their rituals. Today, we have modernized this ancient tradition for your viewing pleasure! All you need to do now is wear it!
Aztec Jaguar Mask Maya Aztec Mexican Mural Art Customized 3D All Over Printed Shirt
Aztec Jaguar Mask Maya Aztec Mexican Mural Art
These Jaguar helmets are made with high-quality hand-carved wood, and the designs represent the Aztec art style. Each of our masks is unique because each mask is hand-carved by artists in Mexico. The colors used on these masks are traditional to the Mayan culture, which makes them perfect for your Halloween costume this year!
Aztec Jaguar Mask Maya Aztec Mexican Mural Art Customized 3D All Over Printed Shirt
Nhận xét
Đăng nhận xét