Paris, 20 January 2012
The Pinacothèque de Paris will present the exhibition “The Jade Masks of The Mayas”, between 26 January and 10 June 2012. Having previously staged “The Gold of the Incas: origins and mysteries” exhibition in autumn 2010, the museum will be continuing its exploration of the art of the pre-Columbian Americas with this exceptional collection of jade mosaic masks.
The masks were found in the graves of members of the Mayan Civilisation’s elite ruling class at an archaeological dig in Mexico. It is believed that some of the masks are representations of the deceased, certainly true in the case of the mask of King Pakal, created in order to ensure eternal life. Others are portraits of the Mayan gods, hybrid figures, part animal, part human, part plant. These would have been worn by the elite during religious ceremonies and funerals.
The Mexican digs have resulted in the unearthing of fifteen masks which have been restored in order to return them to their former brilliance. The majority of them will be on display at the Pinacothèque de Paris, complete with their funeral regalia comprising necklaces, earrings, bracelets, as well as ceramics. In total, the graves of seven Mayan leaders and 100 other pre-Columbian works will be unveiled.
A previously unseen exhibition, it is the first time that the pieces has left Mexico.