great sculpture

Clay reveals the intense features of Huehuetéotl, the first god of the Aztecs. One of the most respected, he is the old god, the god of fire, the god that gave rise to the other deities in the pre-Hispanic pantheon. At his feet, an anfre holds glowing embers, while his wrinkled visage attest to the god's great age. Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association masterfully recreate this important icon from Mexico's pre-Hispanic past.

Clay reveals the intense features of Huehueteotl, the first god of the Aztecs. One of the most respected, he is the old god, the god of fire, the god that gave rise to the other deities in the pre-Hispanic pantheon. On his head, a tray holds glowing embers while his wrinkled visage attest to the god's great age. Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association masterfully recreate this important icon from Mexico's pre-Hispanic past.

Working in clay, artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association depict the intense features of Huehueteotl, the first god of the Aztecs. One of the most respected, he is the old god, the god of fire, the god that gave rise to the other deities in the pre-Hispanic pantheon. On his head, a tray holds glowing embers while his wrinkled visage attest to the god's great age.

Legend tells how Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, created the human race. However, in doing so, he had to confront Mictlantecuhtli, the god of death. Inspired by this story, artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association create an original mask that is faithful to Mexico's ancient books and archaeological record.

Artisans from the Angel Cerón Artisan Association replicate a ceramic vessel of a playful xoloitzcuintli pup, dated sometime between 200 - 600 A.D. It was originally found in a tumba de tiro burial place, so-called because it features interconnecting traits from diverse pre-Hispanic cultures from the Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Colima. They believed the xoloitzcuintli transported the souls of the dead to the underworld. Officially certified by the Mexican government to replicate pre-Hispanic art, the artisans craft the ceramic sculpture with faithful details.

Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec god of sun and war, appears in colorful regalia in this ceramic sculpture by Angel Cerón. He is inspired by the images of the legendary deity featured in the Mexica Codex, for the original sculpture was said to have been destroyed by a Spanish soldier and was rescued by a Tlatolatl. The statue reappeared in 1530 during an investigation by Bishop Zumárraga, only to be lost again. It is speculated to be safely hidden in a cave somewhere in the Anahuac Valley. Huitzilopochtli was represented as a hummingbird as it was believed that great warriors are reborn as these birds. Huitzilopochtli is usually depicted with a feathered headdress, a black face, and a scepter shaped like a snake. Ceron sculpts the piece with yellow clay and uses natural dyes for color.