Everything you need to know about Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art exhibition

This morning The Met hosted a press preview of Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art.  The exhibition will open to the public on November 21 and will remain on view in the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Exhibition Hall at The Met Fifth Avenue through April 2, 2023.

The exhibition Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art will bring together nearly 100 rarely seen masterpieces and recent discoveries in diverse media—from the monumental to the miniature—that depict episodes in the life cycle of the gods, from the moment of their birth to resplendent transformations as blossoming flowers or fearsome creatures of the night. Created by masters of the Classic period (A.D. 250–900) in the spectacular royal cities in the tropical forests of what is now Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, these landmark works evoke a world in which the divine, human, and natural realms are interrelated and intertwined. Lenders include major museum collections in Europe, Latin America, and the United States, and many of these works have never been exhibited in the U.S., including new discoveries from Palenque (Mexico) and El Zotz (Guatemala). 

The exhibition is organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Kimbell Art Museum. 

Exhibition Overview 

The exhibition is organized thematically, following the arc of the lives of the gods and their place within a cosmological framework. 

The first section of the exhibition, “Creations,” will present mythical episodes related to the origin of the world. On August 11, 3114 B.C., before the advent of cities and writing in this part of the world, inscriptions tell us that the deities “were set in order,” and the gods placed stones in mythical locations. Maya kings replicated these divine actions at celebrations marking the ends of calendrical periods, each calculated at regular intervals from 3114 B.C. Sculptures and ceramic objects highlight the aged god Itzamnaaj (the name of a major deity in colonial Yucatán) and its avian avatar, who played important roles in primordial myths. A monumental limestone throne back—from the Usumacinta River area—will introduce visitors to the Classic-period city-states of the Maya and creation stories expressed through sculpture and painting. 

“Day” will explore the balance between the gods of the day, such as the Sun God K’inich, and the nocturnal gods like the Jaguar God in the section “Night,” to follow. The sun was associated with life-giving forces, and rulers who identified closely with this power would often add the title K’inich to their name. Many deceased kings were portrayed as glorious new suns rising in the sky, overseeing their successors’ performance of royal duties. Equally imposing and dignified, Maya artists created imaginative and terrifying images of nocturnal deities. Jaguars—who figure prominently in imagery of the night gods—are powerful nighttime hunters in the Maya area, and therefore jaguar gods and goddesses all displayed an aggressive, warlike personality. There were also beautiful and often suggestive nocturnal deities such as the Moon Goddess, who was sometimes identified in texts as the sun’s wife or mother, represented in various narratives on vessels throughout this section. 

The “Rain” section will feature depictions of two important and interrelated gods—the powerful rain god, Chahk, and the god of lightning, fertility, and abundance, K’awiil. Rain gods were venerated throughout the Maya region, and acts of appeasement to them were, and still are, critical for the well-being of communities. A highlight will be a tripod plate (7th–8th century), in The Met’s collection, that depicts Chahk waist high in water, with the Maize God emerging from a waterlily in the depths below and celestial beings hovering above him. 

The section on “Maize” chronicles this god’s life, death, and rebirth through an assemblage of stunning and inventive masterpieces. The Maize God represented the beauty of the Maya staple crop, and is often depicted by Maya artists as an eternally youthful, graceful being. The Maize God was also associated with two of the most valuable items in ancient Maya economies—jade and cacao. Episodes from the Maize God’s mythical saga appear on some of the ancient Americas’ finest ceramic vessels. 

“Knowledge” will delve into the work of the scribes, who spent long years learning the intricacies of Maya writing and employed hundreds of signs in varied combinations, which can be seen throughout the exhibition. Only four of the books created in the pre-Hispanic period have endured to the present day, but texts that survive on relief sculptures and delicately painted ceramics provide a resource for understanding Classic Maya alliances, conquests, and spiritual beliefs. 

The final section, on “Patron Gods,” will include a striking series of works depicting kings and queens taking on various aspects and attributes of the gods. Maya artists created monumental sculptures to celebrate events and depict the perceived connection between rulers and the gods. Freestanding slabs known as stelae stood in the large plazas of Maya cities, and some of these sculptures bear the signatures of sculptors. Also on display will be a remarkable lintel—a horizontal support spanning a doorway—made of zapote wood. There are few Maya works carved in wood in antiquity that survive to the present day, and this lintel represents a celebration in the wake of the victory of Tikal (and its king Yihk’in Chan K’awiil) over rival Naranjo. Sculptures and vessels in the exhibition demonstrate the intimate relationship between Maya royalty and the gods and underscore the role of religion in the establishment and maintenance of Maya political authority. 

After its showing at The Met, the exhibition will travel to the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas, May 7–September 3, 2023. 

Exhibition Dates:
November 21, 2022–April 2, 2023 

Exhibition Location:
The Met Fifth Avenue, Floor 2, Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Exhibition Hall, Gallery 999