Dancing into Dreams: Maya Vase Painting of the Ik' Kingdom offers an intimate glimpse at the exceptionally painted chocolate-drinking cups of a single Maya center located in modern-day Guatemala. Ik' vases are acknowledged particularly for their naturalistic color, veristic portraiture, skillful rendition of graceful movement, and elegantly fluid, calligraphic line. Several Ik' vases were also signed by their painters–a convention attested in the ancient Americas only among the Maya of this region. Complementing our important holdings of Ik' vessels with loans of select masterpieces from other museum collections, the exhibition will both elucidate the courtly politics and dynastic history of the Ik' kingdom and reveal the vital role of master artists in these intrigues.
Dancing into Dreams: Maya Vase Painting of the Ik' Kingdom
September 29, 2012–February 17, 2013
Bowl with Wahy Figures. Maya, Guatemala, Late Classic, ca. 755: Ceramic with polychrome slip; h. 7.9 cm., diam. 21 cm. Princeton University Art Museum, Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund (y1993-19). Photo Bruce M. White
Dancing into Dreams: Maya Vase Painting of the Ik’ Kingdom has been made possible by major support from The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation and the Barr Ferree Foundation Publication Fund, Princeton University, and by the David L. Klein Jr. Foundation and the Program in Latin American Studies, Princeton University. Additional support was also provided by the Partners and Friends of the Princeton University Art Museum.