Zapotec Sculpture of a Ferocious Feline, 300 CE - 600 CE
Terracotta
20
PF.0887
Further images
This magnificent sculpture seems to evoke man's deepest fears about the unknown, dark heart of the jungle. A fiercely snarling cat--perhaps a jaguar--rears up on his haunches and extends his...
This magnificent sculpture seems to evoke man's deepest fears about the unknown, dark heart of the jungle. A fiercely snarling cat--perhaps a jaguar--rears up on his haunches and extends his menacing claws. Perhaps it was felt that by confronting such a demon, one could conquer it. After all these centuries, the compelling power of the image has not faded.
Literature
V4