The Maize God Hun Hunahpu suffers a great many indignities , he is duped by treacherous Underworld Lords, ceremonially sacrificed and ultimately beheaded. His head, like the head of sacred Jokannan an object of ghoulish veneration ; for the Maize God, instead of a silver platter, his severed head is placed upon the branches of the calabash tree.
From this perch the severed head impregnates the Underworld Princess Xquic.
I’ve decided this is most likely the scene I will depict , using my maquettes as inspiration.
I am fast creating a cast of a thousand, Cecil B. De Mill beware.
This maquette seems particularly flexible, perhaps I am beginning to better understand construction.
His tattoo of sprouting maize is typical when depicting the maize god, tripartite ornament, particularly in the god’s brow can be found early as the Olmecs. I must confess the ornament is not usually placed in such an erotically charged part of the body, but he is a fertility god after all.
As I noted Hun Hunahpu is quite flexible, when the poor fellow needs to be beheaded, a simple unfastening of the brad does the trick nicely.
Well that is much of today’s output, ended a bit early; toying with retiring to the study with Vasari, I should paint, but I feel a bit weary.
Until next time ,
take care,
LG
Boondocks Babylon 
You’re getting a real feel for the elegance of articulation possible with these figures. It’s quite illuminating I find, the things that can be achieved with what after all is fairly basic technique. For my own part I like to use the maquettes to help me explore the expressionist route, taking limbs and posture beyond what’s possible with a human being or animal. However I can see that you’re using the maquettes in a quite different way, and I long to discover how you take your ideas to the next stage, by using them as compositional aids. Frankly though, your figures are so beautiful and intricate, that I see them as finished artworks in their own right. Masterfully done, Leonard.
Thank you, that means a lot to me. Coming from a “craft” background, in that a well polished product (domestic murals) is so important , that attention to detail is of great value to me. Much of my influence is 19th cent design, it is easy to get lost in the intricacies.
Concerning the attitudes the figures will assume, this is proving surprising, last evening when I finished the post, I hung the Maize God upon the wall; immediately he fell into a most graceful pose, reminiscent of the Deposition. I cannot claim ownership of the composition, only to be inspired by it.
Again, thanks for suggesting I use these useful little figures, they are a joy.
LG
Mmm, I’d go there.
I love you for that! Thanks, LG