Man with arms folded over his chest

We well recognize the Mezcala tradition as an artistic manifestation that occurred specifically in small stone carvings and was used in the preparation of grave goods. The majority of Mezcala pieces are schematic human figures, perhaps eighty percent or more. There are also animals, temples, scepters and some other objects.

Human figures, which must have represented the deceased and their kin, perhaps also their ancestors, always obey the same design: they are frontal, schematic, symmetric, rather flat representations with arms folded at right angles on the abdomen, and occasionally folded in the form of a cross. The level of abstraction of some of these representations is so notable that the whole body seems to be depicted with just a few straight lines. Occasionally a certain curve is seen in the legs, especially due to the effect of the cord that serves as a saw to make a cut and separate both.

This piece represents an offshoot of the tradition. As with piece number  1013, it has a certain curve or roundness in the arms, which is not unusual in other pieces. But above all what calls ones attention is the presence of volumes that denote a more naturalist treatment of the face affording it a certain expression.

Together with piece 957, they show a peculiar emphasis on the crossed arms, which becomes an "X" design. Both extremities become too long for the forearms to rise above the height of the hip, where the elbows are located, to the shoulders. The bulging of the eyes and lips in both pieces coincides with one of the features of a probable sub-style of the Mezcala tradition, which is called "chontal", without much basis.

What is notable is the distancing from the more schematic, almost geometric and highly synthetic forms of other figures of the tradition. This occurs to the same extent that a certain naturalism and semblance of facial expression is achieved.