Xipe Totec Artifact - Case Study Example

Xipe Totec Xipe Totec Introduction The image under scrutiny is the Male Figure in Guise of Xipe Totec. Xipe Totec translates to Our Lord the Flayed One, a reference to the deity’s costume of flayed skin from a sacrificial victim. Many cultures considered him as the patron of goldsmiths, perhaps because of the process of casting metal – popularized among the Mixtecs in the tenth century – involved the shedding of multiple layers of material to produce the metallic core. Xipe Totec was an Aztec god who represented spring or the start of a new rainy season, as well as the start of a new vegetation. In addition, he was also the patron god of the goldsmiths. However, the sculpture in the museum of Xipe Totec is completely different from the god image of Xipe Totec as expressed in “Codex Borgia”. The latter, which was the original image of the Aztec god, construed Xipe Totec holding a bloody weapon whilst adorning a flayed human skin as a suit with his hands hanging downwards. It also had a number of colors unlike the sculpture, which was a dull grey as the color of the stone the artist curved from. Apparently, the sculpture adopted this calm imagery of Xipe Totec in order to portray his good side as the god of blacksmiths and the god of the rainy season. This was quite different from the reality. The flayed skin signified the rebirth and renewal of seasons through casting off the old and growing of the new. This was especially the case for the worshippers of this god after twenty days of worship. These worship ceremonies included various bloody sacrifices offered to the god to appease him and seek favors. These sacrifices were mainly human sacrifices offered to honor the god. The flayed skin often came from sacrificial victims after their hearts were cut out. This is represented in the sculpture of the Xipe Totec god with a hole and stitched up wounds across the chest. These sacrifices were the gladiator sacrifice, and the arrow sacrifice. The blacksmiths also sacrificed to the god, especially the thieves whom they caught stealing their gold and other minerals. Analysis of the Images Form The artifact of Xipe Totec preserved in the museum takes form of a man curved out of stone and almost of human height. this sculpture takes a different form from the original xipe totec image. The sculpture stands upright with both legs close to one another. The hands however take different positions. The first hand, the left one, hangs straight by the side while the second hand, the right one, half stretches forward as if to great someone. This presents an impression of calmness and invitation. The form taken by the sculpture is a three dimensional form whereby it details all the possible features of the image, such as the front view, the side view, as well as the back view. The height of the sculpture is almost six feet tall, while the width of the sculpture is between one to two feet wide. The sculpture has an organic form in the sense that its edges do not generate crisp and distinct formations. Most of its outlines are irregular, flayed, and asymmetrical in nature. In fact, it appears as though most of the features of the features of the sculpture are natural occurring. This relates to the flayed nature of the sculpture, which also denoted its native name, and translation in the local language of the natives, such as “our lord the flayed one”. This feature is particularly evident on the skin of the sculpture of Xipe Totec, and seemingly symbolizes the new skin that the god wore every new rainy season. Composition The composition of the sculpture of Xipe Totec is phenomenal, as each part seems to correspond with one another in order to provide a conclusive imagery of the god. All the parts of the sculpture display unity and oneness, from the legs, to the skin, to the head, as well as the chest. This god was the god of blacksmiths, as well as the one in charge of bringing forth the rainy season. The composition of his curving seamlessly provided constructive proof of all this. The head appeared to be a little too big for the body, an awkward feature that played splendidly in creating the desired theme. The eyes appeared gouged out; whilst the mouth was wide open in symbolism of anger, grief or joy. Similarly, the sculpture had ears that were a little bigger than the ordinary for the god. The chest, as well as the back had a number of engravings in the local dialect which had various meaning especially in relation to the roles that the god assumedly played within the society. The balance of the sculpture provided a symmetrical arrangement, especially from the legs going upwards up to the shoulders, which provided a sense of calmness and composure. The sculpture appears to be in a standstill position as both legs are close to one another and the hands are hanging by the side. However, one on the hands stretches out as if to grab something or for greetings. This is the only visible movement within the artifact. The facial expressions of the sculpture also highlight some elements of the god, especially considering the post classic international styles and symbol sets adopted in the Olmec stages. There is no pronounced rhythm of the sculpture, except for the flayed skin worn by the god, as well as the large pierced ears. Material The sculpture appears to be a curving made out of stone by the artist in order to create an image of the Aztec god. As such, some of the common material used to produce this sculpture of the Xipe Totec god of the rainy season and blacksmiths is a piece of curving stone. This is a stone, which an artist can chisel and curve out a specific image or artifact. From the stone, as for our case, the artist was able to curve out the image of the Aztec god, Xipe Totec. The sculpture probably used a hammer and a chisel to curve out the image of the Aztec god Xipe Totec, thereby creating the flayed human skin all over his body as symbolized in the mythology of Mesoamerican arts. The sculpture even has a stand where the entire sculpture rests on, in an upright position and asserted firmness. On the other hand, the artist also managed to curve out some writings on the chest and back of the sculpture, as well as dig out a hole on the chest, almost at the center of the ribs, with each formation having a defined meaning in the perceived culture. The hand that stretches out seams firm and strong, whilst the one that hangs around appears completely attached to the rest of the body. Construction Technique The construction technique applied in this sculpture appears to be the direct stone sculpture, whereby the artist curved the proposed image of the Aztec god out of a mass of stone. This is unlike other forms of sculptures whereby the artist curves out different parts of the sculpture separately then patches them together in order to form a complete object. The evidences on the sculpture that the curving was from a single mass of stone and not a collection of different pieces curved out separately appears on the legs, the hands and the head. To begin with, the sculpture rests on a stone base, and the legs standing on the stone base do not appear separated in any form from the base, which evidently proves that the base and the legs were curved out of the same material. The way the hands attach themselves to the rest of the body, and especially paying close attention to the hand that stretches out, exhibit tight attachment to the body, thereby proving the concept of oneness adopted while curving out the sculpture. Iconography Iconography in arts is the concept of using symbols as well as images to portray a particular ideal, movement or subject. Consequently, iconography may also refer to the usage of certain symbols in order to convey certain strains or genres within a society, such as religious iconography, iconography in television and film, as well as iconography in arts, as is the case with the sculpture of Xipe Totec. From the sculpture, it is evident that the artist strived to capture various aspects of iconography of art that relates the sculpture to the ancient Aztec gods. Conclusion To begin with, the artist curved out the sculpture with a human skin that appears flayed. This flayed skin symbolizes the name of the sculpture, and the god in question, Xipe Totec, whom the locals translated as our lord the flayed one, and as such, the flayed skin of the sculpture. The curving on the chest and the back of the sculpture also has particular meanings especially in the Mesoamerican culture. Furthermore, the sculpture also has some specific imagery curved on the back of the head of the god, which also translate to specific themes and concepts in the Aztec times, such as being the god of blacksmiths, and the god of the rainy season. Bibliography 1. Boone, Elizabeth and Smith Michael. Post Classic International Styles and Symbol Set. 186-193 2. Brumfiel, Elizabeth. Aztec Women: Capable Partners and Cosmic Enemies. 87-104 3. Keilly, Kent. Art, Ritual, and Rulership in the Olmec World. 21-45 4. Kristan-Graham, Cynthia and Kowalski Jeff. Changing Perspectives on a Recurring Problem in Mesoamerican Archaeology and Art History. 1-60 5. Lind, Michael. The Kingdom and Pilgrimage Center of Cholula. 89-93 6. Panofsky, Erwin. Studies in Iconology: Humanistic Themes in the Art of the Renaissance. 3-17 7. Pohl, John. Ritual Ideology and Commerce in the Southern Mexican Highlands. 172-177 8. Pohl, John. The Lintel Paintings of Mitla and the Function of the Mitla Palaces. 177-197 9. 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