k’inich ajaw and the waterlily jaguar
Mayan Jaguar
In Mayan folklore, the jaguar is regarded as the material embodiment of the sun god K’inich Ajaw, cloaked in a coat the colour of power and possessing the voice of thunder.
This piece highlights the the dualistic nature of the sun god, portrayed as a single movement of two jaguars through the primordial waters of ancient jungles.
The black jaguar, known as Jaguar Paddler, is a representation of the night sun, darkness, and the ferryman of gods, guiding divine energies along sacred waterways.
By day, as lord of the middle world, the jaguar at the forefront emerges as the Waterlily Jaguar, who is illustrated with the waterlily on his head or body, In historical Mayan art.
This sacred figure holds the dual essence of hunter and nurturer, signifying both war and fertility, destruction and life. Incorporating the form of the waterlily found in Mayan hieroglyphs, depictions of these flowers subtly embellish the coat of the Waterlily Jaguar.
Oil on Canvas
60in x 40in