J is for Jaguar-Man (1995)

NOTE: THIS IMAGE IS FROM 1995! Please bear that in mind. I'm submitting it because others have asked to see more Mesoamerican-inspired work of mine, and this one directly influenced later pieces.

Back in college in 1995, we had to pick a subject for our Senior Project Thesis, and create five pieces to accompany it. I chose to do one of my very favorite subjects: mythological creatures! I had done an earlier project for a typography class featuring 26 creatures (see here: synnabar.critter.net/Pages....… ) but I'd always wanted to re-do it. This, Jaguar-Man, was one I chose to re-do, as well as the Dragon, but I picked some different ones as well (Nightmare, and Sekhmet). I need to post those sometime, too; they're old, but are good examples of my own style and interests.

He is based my Jaguar-Man from 1991 ( synnabar.deviantart.com/art/J-… ) and on some concept sketches I had done while researching, like my 1994 Aztec Cat ( synnabar.critter.net/Images...… ) that incidentally I re-drew in 2006: synnabar.deviantart.com/art/Az…

Jaguar-men have a basis in very early Mesoamerican mythology; to the ancient Olmecs, they were supposedly the result of a union between a Divine Jaguar and a human female. Additionally, the Aztec Tezcatlipoca was often shown in his Jaguar Incarnation as Tepeyollotl, "The Heart of the Mountain" (see here: www.mexicolore.co.uk/index.php… ).

This Jaguar-man wears Aztec and Olmec decorative elements. The two square-ish masks in the upper corners are based on Olmec mosaics of were-jaguars, the upper statue is Aztec and was used in blood-offering rituals, and the lower object depicts an Olmec werejaguar/"crying baby" figurine/knife blade. Originally it said "This is where the Jaguar has his throne" in Spanish, but I wasn't happy with my hand-lettering so in later years I covered it up and added "Tezcatlipoca" in Photoshop.

Though it's old, this piece was very personal for me, and it features some of my favorite things to include in my work: big cats, symbolism, shapeshifters, borders, and ancient cultural references.

NOTE: I must mention that the ornamentation is my own design, and not based off of any *specific* Aztec, Olmec, Mayan, or other Mesoamerican art, sculpture, or ornamentation, so if you are looking for SPECIFIC, authentic pieces, please do research; there are so many great pieces in museums, books, and photos!

If you would like to see "were-jaguar" sculpture from Mesoamerican art, please see here: www.google.com/search?q=olmec+…

A note about the tail-rings: the rings on the tail are not Mesoamerican at all, at least not in that style and in that number; the rings are strictly a symbol specific to me. They're seven in number because that's a number I use often in my work (and seven for the seventh month, July, my birth month).

Materials: Prismacolor colored pencils, Micron pen, and Prismacolor marker on toned paper.

Mugs & stuff available here: www.cafepress.com/syntezcatli or you can order a print directly from me.