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.
Language: English
