19th C. Cast of Yaxchilan Lintel 24, Lady Xok and Shield Jaguar, 19th. cent

Major collections of Maya casts include American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Institution, Brooklyn Museum and Musée de l'Homme; see Fash (2004) for a discussion of plaster cast collections.



Yaxchilan Lintels 24 and 25 from the doorways of Structure 23, date to the late 6^{th and early 7th C., and illustrate Lady Xok, wife of Itzamnah Balam II (Shield Jaguar) in her bloodletting sacrifices and an hallucinatory vision on the day of his accession.}



 

George Parkin Atwater

David Atwater, by descent from above by 1930's

By descent from above by 1980's

Overall fine. there is a slight crack visible, very thin, across the face of the standing lord, but appears stable and appears old and not recent. Has a plywood sheet at the back. Cork intact. overall plaster front fine.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

These lintels are considered some of finest examples of Maya carvings, depicting scenes and detail of costume that had never been shown in stone sculpture previously (Miller 1999:127). The great Mayanist Sylvanus Morley unabashedly pronounced "Lintel 24 is the most outstanding example of sculptural art at Yaxchilan in harmony of composition, [...] and refinement of detail" (Morley 1946:369). 

Sir Alfred P. Maudslay's work in the Maya region (1881-1894) including photographing and making in situ moulds and plaster casts of the major Maya monuments, is considered one of the groundbreaking contributions to Maya studies. Learning the laborious process of moulds and casts from the French explorer Charnay, Maudslay brought the Yaxchilan lintels and their casts to England; first presented to the South Kensington Museum (later known as Victoria and Albert), they eventually went to their current location in the British Museum. Maudslay hired artist Annie Hunter to draw precise renderings of the reliefs. The final publication in 1902 of 'Archaeology' in his Biologia Centrali-Americana, finally provided epigraphers the first large-scale, accurate images of the major Maya texts (Coe 1992:111).