Deity or Warrior Figura - Codex Borgia Style
Pictographic painting from a manuscript (Codex), likely screenfold format on deerskin or amatl paper • Anonymous Tlacuilo (Scribe-Painter) of the Mixteca-Puebla Borgia Group
Style & Movement
International Mixteca-Puebla Style / Mesoamerican Manuscript Tradition
Medium & Technique
Natural pigments (cochineal red, carbon black, mineral earths) and gesso on prepared animal hide or bark paper
Creation Period
Late Postclassic period, approximately 1250–1521 AD
Dimensions & Format
Small-scale miniature from a codex page; vertical orientation within a larger screenfold strip
Subject Description
An anthropomorphic figure with red skin, possibly representing a deity (like Xochipilli or Macuilxochitl) or a high-ranking noble. The figure wears an elaborate feather headdress (quetzalpatzactli), circular golden earspools, and a loincloth. He holds a ritual vessel or offering in his hand. Floating above is a numerical glyph or abstract symbolic element consisting of small spheres.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good (considering age); pigment remains vibrant though there is visible surface abrasion and minor loss at the edges
Estimated Market Value
Highly variable; millions if a primary pre-Hispanic fragment, or $500 - $5,000 for high-quality contemporary cultural replicas
Auction Estimate
Unavailable for non-circulating national treasures; $1,000 - $3,000 for ethnographic facsimiles
Provenance History
Likely originated in the Cholula or Mixtec regions of Mexico; if original, typically held in European national libraries or ethnographic museums since the 16th-18th centuries
Art Historical Significance
Key example of pre-Columbian communication systems where art serves as a functional liturgical and mnemotechnical device for recording astronomical and religious data
Notable Features
Distinctive use of bold black outlines ('firm line' technique) and flat, saturated color planes characteristic of the Borgia Group manuscripts
Condition Issues
Fading of organic lake pigments, brittle substrate (parchment/paper), historic creases from screenfolding, and minor surface dirt
Conservation Recommendations
Strict UV light control, stabilized low-humidity environment (45-50% RH), and mounting within acid-free museum-grade materials