ticketsMember | Make a donation

Bottle with ritual scene

1400–1500 CE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 360
During the last few centuries prior to the Spanish conquest, ceremonial vessels in Mexico had simple forms with large surfaces to which complex decoration could be applied. On this vessel, red extends over the entire surface, including the straight-sided neck and base, and over it the designs are in dark brown, white, red, and orange outlined in black. A multifigural scene involving nine individuals in profile engaging in different actions appears on the chamber of the jar. The postures of the figures vary, and the three males are distinguished from the females by size, costume, and attributes. Four of the five women wear their hair bound in two topknots held with a white band. The fifth female is shown kneeling in an enclosure, her head thrown back and her eye closed. It has been suggested that this figure portrays a woman who had died during childbirth and that the scene may relate to the myth of the birth of Quetzalcóatl, the quasi-historical ruler-priest of the ancient city of Tula whose mother had died during parturition.

Although the vessel is said to have come from Nayarit in western Mexico, its rich polychrome decoration is strongly influenced by the geometric, vividly colored painting style found primarily on ceramics and in pictorial manuscripts in central Mexico during this time.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Bottle with ritual scene
  • Artist: Amapa-Peñitas artist(s)
  • Date: 1400–1500 CE
  • Geography: Mexico, Mesoamerica
  • Culture: Nayarit
  • Medium: Ceramic, slip
  • Dimensions: H. 10 × Diam. 8 × D. 8 in. (25.4 × 20.3 × 20.3 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics-Containers
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Mary R. Morgan Gift, 1992
  • Object Number: 1992.3
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Tripod brazier with date glyph, Central Highlands artist, Ceramic, slip, Mexica (Aztec)
Tripod brazier with date glyph
Central Highlands artist
1430–1521 CE
Miniature Tripod Vase, Ceramic, slip, pigment, Mexica (Aztec)
Miniature Tripod Vase
Mexica (Aztec)
15th–early 16th century
Miniature Painted Bowl, Ceramic, slip, pigment, Mexica (Aztec)
Miniature Painted Bowl
Mexica (Aztec)
15th–early 16th century
Miniature Painted Bowl, Ceramic, slip, pigment, Mexica (Aztec)
Miniature Painted Bowl
Mexica (Aztec)
15th–early 16th century
Miniature Pedestal Bowl, Ceramic, slip, Mexica (Aztec)
Miniature Pedestal Bowl
Mexica (Aztec)
15th–early 16th century

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.